Giants of Land and Sea

Interconnected natural systems, made visible at human scale

Project Overview

Giants of Land and Sea is a long-term exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences that explores the natural forces that shape the California coast, with a focus on large-scale phenomena like redwood growth, plate tectonics, and whale migration. The exhibit combines immersive visuals, scientific diagrams, 3D models, and interactive media to help visitors understand the interconnected systems that define California’s dynamic landscape. Through a combination of digital storytelling and physical design, the gallery invites audiences of all ages to engage with the science behind the region’s iconic giants—both plant and animal.

My Goal

For this project I was to create a visual experience that helped visitors intuitively understand big, interconnected systems. I wanted to convey scientific content in a way that felt both informative and inviting. This meant designing diagrams and storytelling moments that could communicate ideas like the growth of a redwood over time or the migration of a whale across ocean basins, all while keeping accessibility and flow in mind.
Gallery view of the Giants of Land and Sea exhibit, with suspended whale skeleton, illustrated panels, and interactive stations.

Process

I collaborated closely with scientists, writers, and the exhibit fabrication team to translate complex concepts into layered, digestible visuals. I created diagrams that illustrated natural cycles, scale comparisons, and geologic processes, many of which were integrated into sculptural elements or interactives. Throughout the gallery, I designed panels and printed graphics that supported physical models and digital media. Visual clarity, narrative consistency, and scientific accuracy guided every step of the process, from early sketches to final production.
Giants of Land and Sea

Role and Contributions:

Environmental Graphic Design
Interpretive Illustration
Scientific Visualization
Illustrated size comparison placing Northern California's largest whales against human figures for scale.
Illustrated size comparison of coastal redwoods against other trees and human figures.
Diagram of humpback whale bubble-net feeding, showing how the whales spiral upward to trap fish.
This series of illustrated infographic panels compare the sizes of various megafauna and megaflora that can be found in Northern California, as well as describes the sophisticated hunting method of humpback whale. The layouts required additional considerations for the new inclusion of three additional languages in order to appeal to a wide audience.
Suspended blue whale skeleton above smaller whale specimens in the gallery.
Second animated specimen label, labelling the parts of another coastal species.
Animated label revealing the named anatomical parts of a coastal specimen on display.
Articulated illustrations label the specimens of some of California’s coastal, aquatic inhabitants on display within the exhibit.
Infographic explaining how the Bay Area's fog bank forms, from ocean upwelling to condensation over the coast.
Above and below Earth's surfaces, invisible processes create conditions for earth to thrive. This infographic describes the process of the Bay Area's famous fog bank formation.
Exhibit view showing illustrated panels and specimen cases along the gallery wall.Interactive showing three merging systems — fog formation, carbon exchange, and ocean upwelling — and how they shape the Northern California coast.
Three merging systems; fog formation, carbon exchange, and ocean upwelling shape the beauty and biodiversity of Northern California’s Coast. A series of interactives allows users to explore the unseen forces at play that support giants of land and sea.
Animated panel tracing the life of a coastal redwood from seedling to old-growth tree.The redwood forest section of the gallery, combining panels, specimens, and interactives.Illustrated redwood panel describing the size, lifespan, and history of Northern California's coastal redwood forests.
A mixture of informational panels, specimens, and interactives describe the size, life, and history of Northern California’s Coastal Redwood forests.

Outcome

Giants of Land and Sea has become one of the Academy’s flagship exhibits and a key storytelling experience about California’s environment. As a focal point of the natural history galleries, it draws sustained visitor engagement and is frequently used by educators as a teaching tool. Its success lies in its ability to communicate large-scale scientific systems through clear, immersive visuals. The design approach has since influenced other exhibits at the Academy, serving as a model for integrating science, storytelling, and accessibility in a cohesive, visitor-centered experience.

What I learned

This project sharpened my ability to guide complex visual storytelling across large-scale environments. It deepened my understanding of how to communicate scientific systems in a way that feels both intuitive and visually compelling. A highlight of the project was having the opportunity to art direct illustration work. I selected and collaborated with an external illustrator, providing visual direction that aligned with the system I developed for the exhibit. This process reinforced my ability to guide creative work while keeping the overall narrative, clarity, and accessibility goals in focus. I also gained a deeper appreciation for how small design choices, when part of a larger system, can shape the way people explore and connect with science in a physical space.
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