Joh. Enschedé

Exploring the printers behind pages, banknotes, and type that shaped a nation.

Noord-Hollands Archief, Haarlem (NL), 2019

Young man closely inspecting a backlit historical timeline of portraits and key events in the legacy of Joh. Enschedé, a Dutch printer of value documents.

Overview

The Noord-Hollands Archief launched a permanent exhibition celebrating Joh. Enschedé, the printer behind the Netherlands’ banknotes, stamps, and typefaces. A striking floor-to-ceiling window creates a vibrant atmosphere, framing three key installations: an 18th century printing press, a showcase of unique typefaces, and a banknote printer’s roll. Interactive apps and physical games throughout the space invite visitors to explore the craftsmanship behind these everyday objects.

  • Display on bookmaking, featuring a historical printing press surrounded by books and miniature figures, with suspended printed pages above and colorful stained glass at the back.
  • Typography-themed station with metal type installations hanging overhead, display cases with printing materials below, and stained glass windows adding depth to the gallery.
  • Banknote station with large printing rollers suspended above a display case of financial documents, set against an exposed brick wall and vibrant stained glass inspired by currency design.
  • Interactive station with antique tools and a touchscreen, set against a stained glass window featuring collage-style banknote imagery and historical references.
  • Close-up of a vibrant stained glass window featuring a collage of portraiture, patterns, and typographic elements from Dutch banknotes and various printed motifs and patterns.
  • Display case containing metal printing tools and lead type molds, beneath a mounted infographic panel explaining the process of making lead type.

Contribution

I was in charge of designing and producing the graphic layer and visual style of the exhibition. The design brought clarity and structure while infusing the historical stories with a fresh twist, making the world of security printing feel both accessible and fascinating.

  • Two children wearing headphones and holding clipboards, engaging with an interactive exhibit on printing techniques and history.
  • Woman engaging with a hands-on printing exhibit, pulling a lever on a wooden structure below a screen that explains how to set up and use a historical press.
  • Two young women reading and discussing a book displayed on a glass-topped museum table, surrounded by other printing-related displays and exhibition graphics.
  • Two boys interacting with an illuminated display table, one pointing to a printing-related exhibit beneath the glass, with educational diagrams about lead type in the background.
  • Man and woman smiling as they engage with a digital screen embedded in a display table, surrounded by colorful exhibition elements and brick walls.

Key achievements

  • Translated archival material into accessible narratives
  • Aligned space, content, and visuals into a cohesive whole
  • Delivered a hands-on, workshop-style experience
  • Recognised with an international design award
  • Close-up of two visitors interacting with a touchscreen showing historical Dutch banknote specimens, pointing to enlarged images on the screen.
  • Detailed view of a digital display featuring an interactive design tool, where a user is selecting security features for a banknote as part of an educational museum experience.
  • Two young girls interacting with a touchscreen display in the museum, one pointing at the interface while the other attentively observes, with printing equipment visible in the background.
  • Group of children gathered around a display case labeled “De Duitse stempelsnijder” (“The German Punchcutter”), observing and discussing its contents, with an adult guiding them.
  • Close-up of two adults smiling and using an interactive digital screen labeled “Wealth in letters,” with a printing press and suspended sheets visible above.

Awards & Recognition

Muse Design Awards 2020:
Platinum | Design, Exhibition, Pavilions & Exhibitions
Featured on Behance’s Graphic Design gallery:
Exhibition & Signage category

Credits

Role: Art Director | Lead Designer
Employer: Studio Louter
Client: Noord-Hollands Archief
Photography: Mike Bink

© All rights reserved to Studio Louter

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Living planet

Museum of Natural Sciences, Brussels (BE)