Mariano Desmaras and Steff Geissbühler designed an outdoor typographical sculpture that speaks of RFE/RL’s mission to promote liberty and democratic values. Designed for the new headquarters in Prague, on a busy street filled with cars and trolleys, the 10-foot-high, custom-drawn, dimensional letterforms create a sculptural installation that changes language depending on direction of approach, either “LIBERTY” or “SVOBODA,” the same word with the same amount of letters in Czech. Each letter pair intersects on a central vertical axis. The "Freedom Monument" functions as an outdoor sign, performs as a public art piece and acts as a brand communication. The project was awarded the 2009 “Certificate of Typographic Excellence” from the Type Directors Club.
2009 “Certificate of Typographic Excellence” from the Type Directors Club.
Each of the "criss-cross" letters are 3 meters tall (approximately 10ft.) and are meant to be seen from a highly transited avenue of Prague.