RISD Safe Together

Following a semester of distance learning after the COVID 19 outbreak, the Rhode Island School of Design was determined to bring students back to campus so they could take full advantage of the creative studios and facilities. This was no easy task that required meticulous planning and acceptance of a shared responsibility for adhering to health and safety protocols at a school that has been traditionally known as a place for individual expression and thought.

Studio Rainwater worked with a strategic team at RISD to develop a campaign that would clearly state the guidelines and consequences in a way that emphasized the communal benefits of the social contract.

We created an accessible and friendly system of messaging and graphics that could be easily recognized across many mediums. Without minimizing the consequences of breaking the rules, we wanted the text and visuals to focus on everyone doing their part to keep the community safe, not trying to enforce rules through threat of punishment.

Ultimately, the school was successful in bringing students back while maintaining a safe environment.

By December 2020, nearly 15,000 tests had been conducted and only 30 positive cases were identified—a near zero rate of infection that was far lower than that of the city and state.