Clifford Selbert and Robin Perkins, partners in Los Angeles-based Selbert Perkins Design Collaborative, have been named the 2011 SEGD Fellows, environmental graphic design's highest professional honor.
Selbert and Perkins join the ranks of EGD laureates Massimo Vignelli, David Gibson, Deborah Sussman, and others recognized for promoting the highest standards in EGD and significantly contributing to the direction and growth of the field.
Landscape architect/graphic designer Selbert and graphic designer/sculptor Perkins teamed up in the late 1980s. For 25 years, they have collaborated with a wide range of municipalities, public agencies, owners, developers, and architects to create landmark projects integrating art, communications, and environments.
Selbert Perkins' legacy includes their bold use of scale and their philosophy that "every place has a story and every story has a place." They are best known for monumental projects such as the luminous gateways at Los Angeles International Airport, gigantic sculptural furniture at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, and iconic identity and wayfinding programs for clients such as the World of Coca Cola in Atlanta and East Fremont Street in Las Vegas.
"Original. Bold. Joyful. The depth and breadth of Selbert Perkins' work is remarkable," said Virginia Gehshan, FSEGD, principal of Cloud Gehshan Associates. "They have entertained us with cows in the air at Seven Hills Park and giant chairs at the Pacific Design Center. They produce both landmark projects and quiet gems. Their accomplishments have greatly stretched the field of environmental graphic design."
Henry Beer, FSEGD, co‐founder of CommArts (now Stantec), said their work "exemplifies how EGD makes a significant, material different in the way places are both used and perceived by people."
The pair was honored June 4 during the 2011 SEGD Conference+Expo+Awards in Montreal. "The annual awards are an important part of SEGD's mission to promote best practices and ethical standards in environmental graphic design," said Sue Gould, president of Lebowitz|Gould|Design, and chair of the SEGD Board of Director's Excellence Awards committee. "It's vital that we recognize the individuals, companies, and organizations that-through their commitment to human-centered, effective design in the built environment-help define our field."