Design-Build Article

Last month, Travis delivered a seminar about the design-build process at the ISA International Sign Expo. His article based on that seminar appears in the current issue of "Sign Media Canada".

» Click here to read the article.

Identia Online & Project Information Management

Project Information Management (PIM) is critical for the successful delivery of architectural sign projects, and there is a lot of project information to manage: sign message schedules, sign location plans, sign type specifications, construction documents, conceptual drawings, client communications, etc.

The biggest problems with architectural sign projects generally tend to be with product quality and information management. While much attention is paid by sign companies towards addressing the product quality issues, too often PIM is not given the attention it merits. Part of the reason for this is that until now any solution to the PIM problem has been unavailable or too costly. Identia Online is the first purpose-built cost-effective PIM tool for architectural sign projects.

In order to grow your company effectively, correct and efficient PIM will be more important than ever. You cannot afford to have projects slowed or derailed by the inability to manage the important details of each sign. A robust, easy to use, and globally accessible information platform will be necessary in order to accomplish your business growth goals.

Blogs, News, and Other Links: February 2010

Children's Hospital in Poland

Portfolio of signage, wayfinding, and graphics for a Polish children's hospital [Kasia Kaczmarek]

Healthcare Wayfinding

Thoughts on healthcare wayfinding [GNU Group]

The Value of Glocalization

Thinking locally and nationally when in comes to wayfinding and signage [Corbin Design]

Setting Sights on the Arrow

Article about that most basic but important symbol: the arrow [AIGA]

Changing Landscape of EGD Education

EGD education at universities [Arrows & Icons]

Cisco Simplifies Digital Signage

Cisco offers their Digital Media Creative Services [CNN Money]

Signage at new Red Sox training facility

A look at the signs at the Red Sox new spring training facility in Florida [signweb.com]

Lousy Signage in Well-Designed Buildings

Our company in the Boston area, like architectural signage firms everywhere, routinely receives bid requests from general contractors for the "signage" subcontract portion of construction projects. Unfortunately, we usually encounter documentation that is so seriously flawed we are unable to prepare an accurate bid.

Here are just a few of the problems we have seen:

1. The signage documentation package normally includes a written spec, but almost never includes drawings, a sign message schedule, or sign location plans.
2. The sign contractor is required to submit construction shop drawings for signage, but is given little information about critical variables such as overall size, typestyle, or graphic layout. In other words, design responsibility for the signage elements is assigned to the signage contractor.

Environmental Graphics and Design Excellence

The coveted Harleston Parker Medal was established in 1921, and is awarded annually to recognize "such architects as shall have, in the opinion of the Boston Society of Architects. . . completed the erection for any private citizen, association, corporation, or public authority, the most beautiful piece of architecture, building, monument or structure within the limits of the City of Boston or of the Metropolitan Parks District".

A nine member jury empanelled by the BSA has recently issued its report and recommended that the Harleston Parker for 2009 be awarded to the Parker Community Boathouse designed by Anmahian Winton Architects. The entire report of the BSA jury may be seen here.

In the words of the report: "The boathouse stood out amongst the nominations this year in its ability to embody many of the different notions of beauty that had been advanced. The building is a striking presence on the water. Its rich wood panels and articulated facade draw attention to the structure, yet it remains elegant and simple."

Our firm made a small contribution to the boathouse by implementing an architectural signage program for the project. The program consisted of several sets of stainless steel lettering, some donor recognition signs, and a small number of Identia Sign System plaque signs to identify functional spaces within the building.

The design of the signage was handled in a collaborative manner by the architect, the owner, and our office. We believe the design character of the signage is instructive: it is restrained, well detailed, and simple. It is also consistent with a design orientation that endorses the idea that signage is a functional background product that should be subordinated to architectural priorities, and which ought to complement architectural features, rather than compete with them.

This point of view does not imply that signage should be overlooked. It only suggests that signage should take its appropriate place within the entire building system and perform its task effectively, and without excessive fanfare.

Blogs, News, and Other Links: December 2009

Sign09 Vienna Seminars

A summary of one day's worth of seminars at Sign09 in Vienna. [designworkplan]

Patient Room Information

Study of patient room information signs [Corbin Design]

New Signs At Parkinson's Center

New signs at the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix [DD&F]

Wayfinding Project at Ski Resort

Wayfinding project for ski resort in Australia [ID/Lab]

Branded Environments

Article on branded environments and identities [Arrows & Icons]

New Techniques for Autodesk's Headquarters

Article on how Autodesk's new building utilized BIM and IPD techniques [HQ Construction]

Blogs, News, and Other Links: November 2009

Green Signs and Platinum Status

Identia Online subscribers Archetype Signmakers responsible for green signage at new college campus building that contributes towards LEED Platinum accreditation. [SignWeb]

New Airport Identity

Identia Online subscribers Indigo Signworks create main identification sign for Hector International Airport in Fargo, ND. [Sign Builder Illustrated>]

New Signs for Cooper Union

New signs designed by Pentagram at Cooper Union in NYC. [Pentagram]

Designing Intelligent Navigation Systems

Wayfinding design article [Sign Builder Illustrated]

EGD and LEED

Article examines how EGD can contribute to LEED certification. [Arrows & Icons]

LSU's New Wayfinding System

Louisiana Statue University works on new wayfinding system. [lsu.edu]

Signs Point to More Business for GNU

Profile of EGD firm, GNU Group. [San Francisco Business Times]