The Van Andel Institute Story

When a team from Van Andel Institute came up with the idea to display their history on a prominent wall in Phase II of their new 178 million dollar expansion, they asked Visual Entities to generate some concepts. The result was a 110 foot interactive exhibit that not only depicts the Institute's history, but tells the complete VAI story. From the Institute's conception to its aspirations for the future, the Discovery Wall takes its audience through an educational tour of the Van Andel Institute story.

The wall features three sections, each ending with a 46" touch screen that invites the audience to explore the display in more depth. The first section addresses the conception and origin of Van Andel Institute, the second section displays the Institute's milestone achievements and the researchers responsible, and the third section is devoted to VAI's future goals and vision. The display graphics feature a mix of duotone and colorful images positioned around a timeline that represents a DNA double helix strand. A six foot canopy of cellular images in various stages of cancer curves out above the entire 110 foot display, giving the user a sense of entering into an exhibit. The colorful cellular images were photographed by Dr. Resau of the institute, then enlarged and cropped by Visual Entities to create a "celestial" feel.