ARCHIVE: Category Archive for: Architectural Signage

Design Trends for Monument Signs: What Actually Works (and What Fails) Before Installation

Most monument sign conversations focus on style and materials, but the biggest risks (and costs) usually sit below grade. Foundations, footers, and installation methods determine how long a sign lasts, how much it costs to install, and whether it needs to be redone later. Today’s monument sign design trends are increasingly shaped by what works in the ground, not just what looks good above it. Choices around direct-bury construction, concrete footings, and structural depth can add or save days of installation time and thousands in rework if they’re wrong. This guide looks at modern monument sign trends with buildability in mind. From materials and lighting to foundations, placement, and approvals, you’ll discover the best monument sign design trends in

If you’re planning a new project—whether it’s a commercial or mixed-use project in Boston, this is your sign to not treat interior signage as the last thing you do. Interior signage often shapes how smoothly people move through a space, how confident visitors and tenants feel once they’re inside, how easily you meet ADA requirements, and how your property performs day to day. Making the right calls early helps you avoid delays, rework, and missed leasing opportunities. That’s why making good decisions early helps you avoid delays, rework, and missed leasing opportunities. In this guide, you’ll learn how to: Use custom interior signs as a visual lighthouse that guides the right people into your building. Understand how, when, and where

Welcome to 2024. We greet every year with optimism wondering what good things the months will bring. Some of us use January as a personal ‘reset,’ perhaps changing the route we jog or editing our wardrobes to update our own personal brand. What about your business’s brand? Is it time for a refresh there, too? After all, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make that first impression count! The Effectiveness of Exterior Signage You could think of on-premise, outdoor signs as the durable workhorse of all advertising types since they’re promoting your business 24/7 for years to showcase your company and brand. Exterior signs generate a strong ROI by helping define your brand while driving

What a year! As we begin 2024, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude. Your support and collaboration have made the past year our most successful yet! Looking back on 2023 fills us with gratitude. We’ve had the honor of completing a wide range of signage projects—from city landmarks to local businesses. Each sign represents our dedication to quality and client happiness. We’re incredibly thankful for the chance to have worked on such varied projects, knowing they’ve left a meaningful mark wherever they stand. Let’s take a step back and look at some of the projects from 2023 that caught our eye… A 360 Package: Tree House Brewing Company Working with Tree House Brewing Company in Tewksbury, MA

Featured Article MSA Featured in Signs of the Times Magazine! Metro Sign & Awning’s work at Arcadian Hotel was recently featured in this edition of Sign of the Times Magazine article by Debora Toth! This project included both exterior and interior signage. To check out more of MSA’s noteworthy signage, click here. Project Highlight Wall Graphics Package Another beautiful graphics package was recently installed, in collaboration with Selbert Perkins Design, at Mass General Brigham in Salem, NH. This project included 3 separate interior wall graphics that tell a story – all visible from the street outside. To view the full project wrap-up, click here. Project Highlight Interstate Electric We recently had the privilege of creating and installing various types of

While the U.S. is seeing a definite increase in mixed-use developments, they’re actually not a new concept. In fact, according to Deloitte, mixed-use properties were strategies used about 50 years ago to rejuvenate urban areas. And as population density increases, real estate prices remain high and office occupancy remains low, mixed-use developments offer an attractive option for developers, companies, tenants, and residents. Live, Work, Shop, Play A trend that had been growing in popularity even prior to COVID-19, the pandemic accelerated the planning, design, and construction of mixed-use developments. In fact, in Boston alone, there are at least seven major mixed-use projects under construction right now. These properties empower residents and visitors to have more control in their choices and

Mega-real estate projects have become plentiful in this historic city thanks, in large part, to a growing, diverse economy. The life sciences and technology companies are driving Boston metro’s office market activity. But among these major new and renovation projects? Mixed-use developments include a variety of: Housing Lab and tech spaces Offices Retail spaces Healthcare facilities Educational facilities Industrial buildings Mixed-use projects include the Suffolk Downs Redevelopment,Winthrop Center, Union Square Revitalization Project, and Washington Village. Learn more.

You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression

Welcome to 2022. We greet every year with optimism wondering what good things the months will bring. Some of us use January as a personal ‘reset,’ perhaps changing the route we jog or editing our wardrobes to update our own personal brand. What about your business’s brand? Is it time for a refresh there, too? After all, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make that first impression count! The Effectiveness of Exterior Signage You could think of on-premise, outdoor signs as the durable workhorse of all advertising types since they’re promoting your business 24/7 for years to showcase your company and brand. Exterior signs generate a strong ROI by helping define your brand while driving

Signage offers a visual and branding advertising strategy with tremendous power. Essential for building brand visibility and increasing awareness, well-designed and thoughtfully placed signage can last decades and will attract thousands of customers to a brand over time. Exterior signs stay evergreen, delivering continuous, repeated impressions to help reach business goals by: Attracting prospective customers—76% of consumers enter businesses because of the signs. Creating brand value—68% of consumers believe a business’s signs reflect the quality of its service and products. Driving impulse sales. Establishing a brand—a sign can attract up to 50% of a new business’s initial customers. Giving customers a first, and lasting, impression of a business—75% of consumers told others about businesses they noticed because of the signage.

While we don’t have a handy Magic 8 ball able to reliably predict the future, it hasn’t stopped us from making some educated guesses about next year’s signage industry trends. They include: Minimalism in design. We’ll continue to see signs focused on clean, crisp images that evoke elegance. Improved sustainability. As more companies embrace ESG (environmental, social, and governance) policies, they’re incorporating eco-friendly initiatives into their buildings, including signage construction, materials, and power. One of Metro’s recent clients, TÜV SÜD—a Germany-based company offering safety, security, and sustainability solutions—opted to use an innovative wall sign for its U.S. headquarters, for example. Metro’s partner, CityScapes, recommended the preserved moss material featured in the sign. Initially, the clients asked to use real wood