The Santa Fe Opera fosters musical excellence in the high desert. Set atop a mesa, the opera house features sweeping views with limitless horizons. Its architecture mimics the surrounding landscape with dusty hues, warm lighting, and stucco materials. Our team was brought in to rethink and rebuild a new donor recognition and wayfinding signage system that would complement the overall aesthetic and enhance the patron experience.

Inspired by ancient Greek principles, “Balance and Harmony” became our guiding principles during the design phase. It was imperative to highlight both important donors and informational signage without detracting from the overall ambiance. Our resolution utilized strategic sign placement, and we created recognition signage that also serves as wayfinding throughout the site. The importance of lighting during the opera led us to incorporate dim back lights for significant signs to enhance their readability in low light and supplement the all-enveloping feeling the opera house creates.