Three sign and print companies demonstrate vinyl’s versatility in creating unique interiors.
三家标识和印刷公司展示了乙烯基在创造独特内饰方面所具有的多功能性。
Office-building walls,school hallways and airport lobbies are just three common interiors in public spaces,prime locations all for branding of any kind.Three shops recently shared projects involving these three settings,ranging from the repurposed main post office for the Windy City,to a private university in Idaho,to the exclusive American Express Centurion Lounge in Charlotte’s airport.
写字楼的墙壁、学校的走廊和机场的大厅是最常见的三种公共场所的装饰与广告区域，可能充斥着各种形式、各种品牌的展示。
最近有三家标识、印刷公司恰好各完成了这三类区域中的一种，并无私共享了项目的细节与过程，以及一些对乙烯基材料发展趋势的理解与解读。三个项目分别是：风城（芝加哥）邮局总部改建项目；爱达荷州私立大学项目；夏洛特机场里独家的美国运通百夫长酒廊。
Franking Privilege
邮局之梦
The old Chicago Main Post Office,a nine-story building on West Van Buren in downtown Chicago,is being renovated into offices for PepsiCo,Uber and others by architectural giant Gensler(Chicago).In an effort to retain a sense of the Art Deco building’s original purpose,designers created postal-themed wallcoverings for some of the hallways.Gensler awarded the honor to one of its graphics providers,ER2 Image Group(Hanover Park,IL)to deliver the project.Matt Blackmar,director of applied surfaces at ER2,has worked in the sign industry since he was a teenager,joining ER2 as a graphic designer before making the jump to his current position.His expertise in the field helped Gensler select ER2.
老芝加哥总邮局位于芝加哥市中心西范布伦的一幢九层建筑中，该建筑正在被本市建筑巨头Gensler改建为容纳百事可乐、Uber和其他公司的写字楼。老邮局的历史让人不忍放弃，为了纪念老邮局的历史以及起到艺术装饰的作用，设计师决定为一些走廊的墙壁创造邮局主题的壁画或覆盖物。Gensler将这个非常富有使命感的人物交由其长期合作伙伴：来自伊利诺伊州汉诺威公园市的ER2 Image Group。ER2的墙面设计主管马特·布莱克默，十几岁就开始从事标识行业工作，在升任现职之前加入ER2，担任图形设计师。他在该领域的专业知识是ER2不可或缺的，正是因此Gensler才会选择ER2交付邮局项目。
Gensler provided the design for the project.The Old Post Office would be made over with several eye-catching displays,including a wall of postage stamps.“When projects of this magnitude kick off,we perform an extensive,interactive survey allowing the design team to dial in on the design intent,”Blackmar said.The black-and-white stamps appear multilayered on the wall and seem to pop out when you look at them.“For the postcard wall,the idea of dimension was mentioned,and we suggested using wood to emphasize the vintage look of the digital postcards,”he added.Three different thickness were used:¼,⅜and½in.
Gensler将该项目的设计工作包揽下来：老邮局主题的装饰将由几个非常吸引眼球的艺术作品组成，包括一面邮票墙。布莱克默说：“当如此大规模的项目启动时，我们有必要进行广泛的互动调查，使设计团队能够直击最初的设计意图。根据最后的设计，邮票墙上布满黑白邮票，在人眼观看时，实际是平面的图像将带有裸眼3D的效果，有种呼之欲出的感觉。”对于明信片墙的尺寸，他补充说：“我们建议使用全木制来增强明信片的复古外观。”整面墙共使用了三中不同厚度的木材：6.35毫米（¼英寸）；9.5毫米（⅜英寸）；1.27厘米（½英寸）。
To bring out the metallic elements on the stamps,ER2 used their HP Latex3600 to print on Dreamscape Satara Steel,an eco-friendly vinyl product,which resulted in a more subtle,yet striking effect.The vinyl shines on the wall but does not appear flashy or over-the-top.Traveling through the office on the elevators will allow one to view the hints of metallic shine.The ongoing,phased installation has been handled by ER2 alone,led by Michal Mieczkowski.“For the postcard wall,we applied custom wallpaper and secured the wood prints over top.We were able to complete everything within a week’s time or so,”Blackmar said.Alone with the vinyl,ER2 has installed multiple 3-in.-thick SEG frames,fabric prints and sound-absorbing acoustic tiles.The sizes range from 149*90in.to341*96in.
为了给邮票上增添金属质感，ER2使用惠普Latex3600打印机在环保的乙烯基材料Dreamscape Satara Steel上进行打印，从而产生非常微妙的且醒目的效果：经过精心处理的乙烯基虽然覆盖在墙上，但并不显得浮华与过度，只有人们在穿过办公室或在电梯上时，才能看到其流露出的金属痕迹与光泽。正在进行的，分阶段的安装由ER2全权负责，由迈克尔· 米茨科夫斯基领导。布莱克默说：“在明信片墙上，我们使用了定制的墙纸，并在上面固定了木版画，整个工作大约在一周左右的时间内完成。”除了乙烯基外，ER2还安装了多个7.6厘米（3英寸）厚的SEG框架、织物图案和吸引墙砖，尺寸从3.8*2.3米（149*90英寸）到8.7*2.4米（341*96英寸）不等。
Blackmar said he values Dreamscape’s eco-friendly practices:“We are focused on sustainability and the possibility to incorporate materials that are friendly to the environment today and years to come.”
布莱克默表示，他非常看重Dreamscape专业从事环保乙烯基材料的做法：“我们也开始专注于可持续性，并考虑当今和未来几年，在制作与安装环节掺入环保材料的可能性。”
Hall Bounce-Pass
活力大厅
The start of a new school year(usually!)signifies a great beginning for students,parents and faculty alike.Every fall,schools are repainted and redecorated with the hopes of lasting until summer break.For Northwest Nazarene University(NNU;Nampa,ID),sprucing up their commons’ hall would require more effort than a fresh coat of paint.In fact,it would culminate a decade of planning,demolition and construction of the new NNU Conrad Commons,which features a spectacular hallway graphic.
新学年的开始（通常来说）对于学生、家长和教职工而言都意味着一个良好的开端。每到秋天，学校都会进行重新粉刷和重新装修，希望能将风貌持续到下一个暑假。
对于西北拿撒勒大学（NNU，爱达荷州南帕），整修他们的公共大厅不仅仅只是涂上一层新鲜的油漆，需要付出更多的努力。实际上，这将完成NNU为公共大厅制定的，长达十年之久的规划、拆除与建设工作，新的建筑物不止焕然一新，更会具有壮观的走廊与走廊上的艺术装饰。
The relationship between NNU and Advanced Sign(Meridian,ID)started in 2011.Kurt Celmer,business development manager for Advanced Sign,established their connection with a smaller project:After a visit to the university’s Marketing and Media Department and a request for a project,Advanced Sign was tasked with creating two small banners for the school’s Engineering Department to bring to a NASA educational exchange in Florida.When the time came to create the massive vinyl wallcovering for commons hallway,NNU knew they could rely on Advanced Sign.
NNU和Advanced Sign（爱达荷州默里迪恩）之间的合作始于2011年，那时后者的业务开发经理科特·塞尔默接下了NNU一个较小的项目并从此建立联系：参观该大学的市场与媒体部门并提出项目要求，Advanced Sign的任务是为NNU的工程学院制作两个小横幅，带到佛罗里达州的NASA参加教育交流。当时间来到需要为公共大厅创建大型乙烯基墙面材料时，NNU立刻想起Advanced Sign，知道这家公司是可以信赖的。
The design was produced and prepared by the Assistant Athletic Director Craig Stensgaard.“He’s pretty solid designer by his own right,so I would imagine this could have been his first and final design,”Celmer said.Advanced put their Roland VersaEXPRESS RF-640 large-format inkjet printer and VersaUV LEJ-640FT flatbed printer to work,using eco-solvent ink on this project.The shop went with 3M Envision Print Wrap LX480Cv3 conformable film,given the cinder block surface,and 3M 8519 Scotchcal Luster Overlaminate,applied by their SEAL 62 Pro Dthermal laminator.
整个项目的设计由助理运动总监克雷格·斯坦斯加德制作和准备的，塞尔默评价说：“他本人是一个非常扎实的设计师，所以我想这可能是他第一个也会是最成功的一个设计。”Advanced Sign将他们的罗兰大幅面喷墨打印机VersaEXPRESS RF-640与平板打印机VersaUV LEJ-640FT投入使用，所有印刷均使用生态溶剂墨水。
在乙烯基材料的选购上，采用了3M Envision LX480Cv3适型薄膜，选取空心砖表面，并使用3M 8519 Scotchcal Luster进行层压，操作机器为SEAL 62 Pro Dthermal覆膜机。
The project was installed by a team of two with vinyl wrap experience.“It took them several hours-¾of the day if I remember correctly-to match the panels up,attach the vinyl to the cinder block with the appropriate squeegees and wrap tools,then heat and mold the vinyl into the blocks and mortar,”Celmer said.“I think the only challenge for them was the door and the student athletes going in and out of the locker rooms in the hallway.The graphics depict Bible verses amid historical team photos in shades of gray,with full-color Nighthawks women’s basketball splashes to accent the space,and have spurred additional projects for Advanced Sign:multiple wraps for coaches’ offices and the coaches’ common area.”
整个项目由两个具有丰富乙烯基包装经验的团队进行安装，塞尔默回忆说：“如果我没记错的话，他们花费了18个小时来匹配面板，寻找合适的橡胶滚轴以及包装工具将乙烯基贴附在空心砖表面上，然后将乙烯基加热以完全融入表面。我认为对两个团队来说，唯一的挑战是门、学生运动员更衣室的进出走廊——这些上面的艺术图形有历史感的圣经经文以及灰色的团队合影，而全彩的女子篮球队画面将活力溅满整个空间，并刺激了Advanced Sign其他项目的灵感：教练办公室和教练公共区域的多个乙烯基包装。”
Looking to the future,Celmer predicts vinyl interior décor projects to remain“hands on,”but in a more efficient manner.“I know the advancement of flatbed printing is evolving every day,”he said.“I could ultimately see an articulating printer that could move around three dimensional shapes to print high-quality graphics.”
展望未来，塞尔默预测乙烯基室内装潢项目将持续火热，但将以一种更有效的方式进行，他说：“我知道平板印刷的进步每天都在发展，也许最终会看到一种铰接式打印机，可以围绕三个三维形状移动以打印高质量的图形。”
Reprinting The Reprint
再印一次
When it comes to attempting perfection,mistakes and accidents are bound to happen.For Decor Print(Fort Mill,SC),printing the mural designed with fine artist Amanda Moody for American Express’ The Centurion Lounge at Charlotte(NC)Douglas International Airport was tough.The first Print vanished.Commercial installers at the airport had misplaced the box.The second edition of the print was also plagued by misfortune.The curing temperature on the printer was set too low,and installers’ metal tools scratched the graphics.However,the third and final version was printed and installed flawlessly.
每次想要尝试达到完美，错误和事故总是在所难免。对于Decor Print（南卡罗莱纳州米尔堡）来说，为美国运通在夏洛特（北卡罗拉纳州）道格拉斯国际机场的百夫长酒廊贴上了由艺术家阿曼达·莫迪设计的壁画，这一过程充满艰难。
由于机场的商业安装人员将装有印刷品的盒子放错了位置，Decor Print准备好的第一幅贴纸作品离奇地消失了；第二版印刷业也遭受到不幸的麻烦：打印机的固化温度设置得太低，安装人员使用的金属工具刮伤了表面···直到第三个版本才最终完成了印刷与安装的一整套流程。
The design of the mural was commissioned after American Express found Moody through Instagram.“They wanted something that was nature-inspired,”Moody said,“something that would be peaceful to calm travelers.”The 370*135-in.mural features a whimsical display of ocean blues,gusts of white wind and splashes of dim orange.The piece is displayed across eight different panels.After crafting the piece on gesso cradled wood board with alcohol inks,Moody photographed the painting.T he photo were then sent to Dee Dee Davis,owner of Decor Print.Davis employed Adobe Photoshop to enhance the blues to the classic American Express shade and then expanded the image.The shop printed the entire piece using its HP Latex360 and HP Latex Inks.She chose Vescom Pearl Smooth(TypeⅡ)commercial wallpaper to by the mural,and“because it is heavier and easier to clean,meets flammability requirements,etc.,”Davis said.
美国运通是通过社交媒体找到了艺术家莫迪，“他们想要能带给人身处大自然的感觉的作品，”莫迪说，“这样的画面能使旅行者平静下来。”最终设计定稿，画幅为9.3*3.4米（370*135英寸）的壁画是这样的：整幅作品异想天开地展示了海洋的蓝色，阵阵白色的风和淡淡的橙色的飞溅的浪花。
莫迪用酒精墨水在石膏木板上完成了绘制，一共使用了八个不同的面板，随后莫迪拍摄了这副画，将照片发送给Decor Print的老板迪迪·戴维斯。戴维斯随后使用Adobe Photoshop将画面上的海洋蓝增强为经典的美国运通色调，然后扩展图像。Decor Print选用Vescom Pearl Smooth（Ⅱ型）商用墙纸作为基材，使用HP Latex360打印机和HP Latex墨水进行了整幅的印刷。戴维斯说：“这种商用墙纸更重也更易清洁，并且阻燃性较高，能够满足使用需求。”
After the issues with the first two,the third print of the mural was finally ready for installation.Davis,Moody and commercial wallpaper installers took care of the project.With a regular upkeep of a soft cloth to dust,the project is expected to last around 10 years.“I love Amanda’s artwork and the lounge interior designers did a fantastic job with the furniture and finishes in the creation of the lounge,”Davis said.
前两次意外过去后，第三版印刷的壁画终于来又到了安装阶段，未免再次出现意外，戴维斯、莫迪和安装商共同负责该项目，并规定定期用软布进行灰尘的擦拭。这样的维护措施有望将持续10年左右。戴维斯最后说道：“我非常喜欢阿曼达的艺术品，酒廊的设计师在家具和装饰方面也做得非常出色。虽然存在波折，但这个项目最终的结果还是完美的。”
From exclusive fine art to public buildings and private schools,vinyl wallcoverings wrap up nicely.
最后，通过以上三个案例，相信我们可以达成一个共识：不论是高档美术作品的印刷，还是公共建筑和私立学校的墙贴，乙烯基贴纸都可以很好地完成包装任务。
