Illustrated Map of the WaterHub at Emory University

by Nate Padavick

Client

Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Art Directors

Elizabeth Hautau Karp, Senior Graphic Designer 

Creative Brief

Emory University commissioned Nate Padavick to create an illustrated infographic of the WaterHub, an on-site water recycling system on the Emory University campus which utilizes eco-engineering processes to clean waste water for future non-potable uses. It is the first system of its kind to be installed in the United States. 

Project Goals

The goal of this project was to produce a print and an online version of an informational map/inforgraphic of the WaterHub. The illustration needed to guide the reader through the process of the reclaiming, cleansing and reuse of the wastewater. 

Project Realization

The illustration was printed on a special four-paneled gate-fold within the Spring 2020 issue of Emory Magazine. The online version of the article can be viewed here.

Creative Process

The creative challenge of this project was to convey a very complex, multi-staged, and technical process in a way that was informative and inspiring to all viewers. A narrow color palette was chosen—from the university’s brand palette—in order to minimize visual disturbance and focus on the system and its process. Information was conveyed in various ways, from character word bubbles to “sticky note” overlays, using a hand-drawn type style to enforce the human touch.

Materials

This infographic was created in Adobe Illustrator by Nate Padavick, using vector brushes and his hand-drawn fonts Slender and Pencil Jot. AI was not used in the creation of this illustration.

Additional Images

A detailed view of the infographic
A pencil sketch of the infographic
The original infographic, which was replaced by Nate’s illustrated version



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