Redesigning The Design School

Procreate, Adobe Illustrator (for layout refinement), isometric grid construction

Introduction

This project was created during a Studio Still assignment for LUCA School of Arts. The goal was to redesign the school space as a conceptual guide, not just mapping it, but challenging the way art and art education are experienced. The result: a playful and critical isometric illustration that explores the layered realities of the art world.

This was the project:

Through a reimagined map of the school building, I created an illustration that doubles as both wayfinding and social commentary. The building becomes a stage where absurdity and reality collide, from museums full of banana art to underground sweatshops where artists toil behind the scenes.

Challenge

To create an isometric campus map that is both functional and conceptual. The assignment asked us to not just show the building, but also infuse it with a personal theme that reflects how we experience the art world.

My approach

I began with an accurate isometric structure of the LUCA campus, then layered in imaginative interventions. Rather than planning every element, I let the drawing evolve organically, doodling and reacting intuitively. This created a strong sense of narrative flow, while allowing symbolic scenes to emerge naturally. Satire and visual metaphor were central tools.

Challenge

My approach

RESULT

The final piece is a layered isometric illustration that guides viewers through a fictional version of LUCA’s Ghent campus. The upper floors have been transformed into a satirical museum, where absurd moments from contemporary art history unfold; like climate protesters throwing soup on paintings or the infamous taped banana. These elements critique the elitism and spectacle often associated with the art world. Descending into the lower levels, the tone shifts: visitors discover a sweatshop-like setting filled with printing machines and exhausted workers, representing the hidden labor behind many artworks and the pressure placed on artists today. The entire piece was drawn freely and intuitively, allowing room for humour, critique and storytelling to merge into a spontaneous visual narrative.

Project showcase

This is THE highlight section.

Within the setting of the sweatshop, I incorporated an inside joke dedicated to one of our art teachers. This subtle addition adds a touch of personal connection and humor to the artwork, fostering a sense of camaraderie among those familiar with the reference. Moreover, the artwork carries a deeper message about the fear that artists often experience when presenting their creations to the world. It speaks to the vulnerability of exposing one’s art to the scrutiny and opinions of others, capturing the inner turmoil that artists grapple with.

Within this piece of the poster, you’ll discover a twist on the iconic Mona Lisa. Meet the Mona Liza, a reinterpretation of the renowned masterpiece. As you explore the poster, you’ll notice a sparsely populated museum, where every visitor’s attention is irresistibly drawn towards the smallest painting ever created. This composition sparks contemplation on the prevalent issue of popularity in the art world. It serves as a poignant reminder that many remarkable and masterful works often remain overlooked due to the absence of fame or recognition.

Sarah Schmit