How can signage integrate with a building so seamlessly that it becomes part of the spatial atmosphere, not an interruption of it?

The challenge was to create a signage system for MAD Architects’ Cloudscape of Haikou, a fluid, sculptural public space, without disrupting its dreamlike presence or compromising function. The design needed to be legible, discreet, and harmonised with the architecture’s ethereal nature.

The Cloudscape is a building that plays with light, wind, and reflection, its presence is more like a cloud than a structure.

To respect this intent, the strategy was minimal intervention: reduce visual noise, eliminate anything extraneous, and allow the signage to feel as if it had always belonged.

In partnership with design studio 2x4, we focused on form, finish, and placement to ensure the signage felt like a natural extension of the building itself, blending legibility with subtlety.

The signage system was crafted from aluminium, chosen for its ability to reflect the soft seaside light without overpowering the architecture.

Key design features include:

• Simple, geometric iconography and typographic clarity to aid legibility without drawing attention;

• Softly reflective surfaces that shift with natural light, echoing the ambient qualities of the Cloudscape;

• Integrated positioning within the concrete architecture, maintaining clean sightlines and spatial flow.

Every detail was considered to preserve the immersive, otherworldly experience MAD envisioned for visitors.

The signage succeeds by disappearing.

It serves its function quietly, never competing with the architecture but instead amplifying its poetic language. The result is a built environment where communication and form coexist in harmony — understated, elegant, and intentional.

1. Good signage doesn’t shout.

2. In sensitive environments, design should defer to the space, elevating user experience without disruption. This project is a reminder that the most powerful design gestures are often the most restrained.