ARCHIVE: Category Archive for: Architectural Signage

Hidden Messages In Signage

Most communication is simple, with a single layer of meaning. But once you get into the world of graphics – where the best signage lives and thrives – you begin to find opportunities to communicate more than one message at a time. Here are a few examples of public, possibly familiar graphics that exemplify the potential for signage to be a powerful tool of communication. Wendy’s has a new logo, but it contains a hidden message that’s very old. Can you spot it? … It’s the word “mom” woven into the red-headed girl’s collar. I guess the idea is to evoke home-cooked foods, family dinners, and perhaps even a dose of unconditional love. None of that is guaranteed when you’re

Building Brand Identity: PeopleFluent Exterior Signage

PeopleFluent, the leading total workforce Human Capital Management technology company, was founded in 1997. Approaching its 20th “birthday,” it was time for the company to see that its signage was in line with its image and properly conveyed its corporate identity. PeopleFluent selected Metro Sign & Awning to design and manufacture signs for its Waltham, MA headquarters building. Channel letters and a bright (yet energy efficient) design combined to provide the bold, clean look and smart image PeopleFluent is recognized for. Eighty percent of the Fortune 100 relies on PeopleFluent as part of their talent management delivery strategy. MSA was proud to put its talented workforce to work to create the brand-enhancing signage that will take PeopleFluent well into its next two decades. Design/Build Collaboration = Beautifully Branded Results

How Cities Develop Signage Plans

Business signage plays an important role in the life of any city, not only because it supports commerce and the livelihood of individual businesses, but also because the overall appearance of a city’s signage helps communicate and even define its character. Think about the differences in signage between Boston and Las Vegas, for example, and what that signage says about each of those cities. Generally, governments do not heavily regulate the content of any signs (although the Americans with Disabilities Act does set forth some standards for signage content). Rather, each city government tends to develop its own set of signage regulations, in an effort to control the appearance of the city’s built infrastructure and also to tame the impulses

Stormwater Garden Signage and the Newest Boston Public Library

When the Boston Public Library wanted dramatic new exterior environmental graphics – including interpretive panels and engraved pavers – at its newest branch, in East Boston, they turned to the noted architectural firm, William Rawn Associates. Rawn, in turn, asked for consultative help from Arrowstreet. And when the time came to fabricate the designs, Rawn and Arrowstreet came to us. The East Boston Library is the newest branch library in the Boston Public Library system. Located in the middle of Bremen Street Park, the building features three entirely glass walls and soaring roof that allows in filtered light, helping to connect the new Library’s indoor resources with the Park’s natural outdoor elements. A new series of interpretive panels are located

Put An Improved Face On Your Business – The Benefits of Entry Awnings

In a typical building, the glass entry doors and any adjacent windows create more opportunity for unwanted energy loss (in winter) and gain (in summer) than any other structural element. During the summer, for example, a single square foot of unshaded glass can allow more energy into a building than an 8′ x 10′ insulated wall. That’s a big reason why, as we’ve noted here, designers and business- or building-owners are looking more frequently toward adding new entry awnings at key traffic and visibility locations. Once installed, high-quality awnings help limit the location’s energy gain and loss every day and night, and do this during their considerable service lifetime. As a result, their benefits work out to be extremely cost-effective.

Metro Sign & Awning Approved MHEC Member and Provider

You’ve seen our vehicles and team members at various schools, colleges, municipalities and libraries over the past years. North Reading High School, East Boston Public Library, Suffolk University, City of Holyoke Park Program, Museum of Fine Arts, City of Lowell Façade Revitalization Program…. just to name a few. We work with fabulous architects and designers including Arrowstreet and Roll Barresi, and some of our fabrication designs are created by our own Metro Sign and Awning design team. We’re thrilled to announce that Metro Sign and Awning is now an approved member and provider of the Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium (MHEC). This means that as an MHEC member, is that your organization can now benefit from our expertise in signage design and installation,

5 Things You Didn’t Know About ADA Signage

The term “ADA Signs” is now in widespread use among architects, general contractors, developers, and signage experts. “ADA” stands, of course, for the Americans with Disabilities Act. But the term “ADA Signs” is misunderstood almost as often as it is interpreted correctly. For example: 1. A great many people believe that “ADA Signs” refers to those containing Braille symbols for the benefit of people who are visually impaired. That’s like saying elevators are installed in buildings for the benefit of people who are unable to climb stairs. The claim is true, as far as it goes, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough. While signs containing Braille and other raised characters are a highly visible expression of the ADA requirements,

Re-Branding An International Chain: Lake Region Medical

One of our most demanding projects in recent memory has been taking part in the rebranding of a chain of medical centers that crossed not only state but national borders! It began in March of 2014 when one of our long-time customers, Winbrook Associates, asked us for help. Their customer, Lake Region Medical, had purchased all 18 locations of a company called Accellent, and now the facilities had to be re-branded. We began with a design review and offered some initial signage concepts. But to support the rebranding while the design and build process took place, we installed temporary banners at every location: Just the name “Lake Region Medical” in black text on white material. Our crews surveyed the local

Keeping Up With the Signage Industry

It’s not easy staying current in the fast-paced world of business signage. That’s why the team at Metro Sign and Awning likes to take time when possible to visit with colleagues and take advantage of trade shows with educational opportunities like the upcoming Digital Signage Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, March 10-13, 2015. We like to keep abreast of current and future trends in our industry, including advanced display technologies, best practices, and new thoughts on how to meet the needs of our retail customers. This particular show offers the 4,000 or more signage industry professionals who attend plenty of collaborative peer-to-peer “Idea Exchanges,” bolstered by lectures and panel presentations, seminars, and roundtable-format discussions. The schedule this year

Enclosures and Canopies Serve Many Purposes

Did you know that Metro Sign and Awning works with many hotel and restaurant owners to create semi-temporary enclosures that add a degree of weather-proofing to their outdoor areas? Properly done, these enclosures extend the outdoor seating season and thereby add revenue for restaurants. They’re able to contain heaters placed in the enclosed area, as necessary, to allow the space to be used quite comfortably during the colder months, here in New England. We’ve also worked with hotels to create enclosures to block the wind and weather around pick up / drop off areas. This makes hotel ingress and egress for guests and visitors far more inviting and hospital. Material Choice Important For many of the enclosures we use “Weathertyte”