ARCHIVE: Category Archive for: Wayfinding

May 2023 Newsletter

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. Read Original Article

World on the Move: Approaches to Transportation Hub Signage and Wayfinding

J.R.R. Tolkien said, “Not all those who wander are lost.” But in general, travelers prefer to know where they’re going. Whether an environment’s familiar or not, well designed signage helps ensure that only those who want to wander are free to do so — and everyone else can successfully find their way without getting lost. Wayfinding, or directional, signs serve four main purposes: Pointing people where they need to go. Identifying landmarks (rooms, concourses, wings, and other important features). Informing people about regulations and instructions a space requires them to follow. Defining the space, because transportation hubs are large, open spaces, and wayfinding branding helps define and bring consistency to the property. As with wayfinding signs used in other facilities like

Travel often triggers people’s anxieties, especially when they’re navigating an unfamiliar environment. Signage and wayfinding can help alleviate that anxiety. Not surprisingly, there’s a close connection between transportation hub architecture and environmental graphic design for signs. Poorly designed signs distract and cause confusion. Ideally, the best signage/wayfinding strategies remain unobtrusive— and if you arrive at your destination without remembering the signs that helped you navigate, they did their job effectively and unobtrusively. This article suggests various approaches to the type and use of signage for wayfinding in transportation hubs. Learn more. Read Original Article

Developing wayfinding systems in museums

Good museum wayfinding is essential for thepublic to get the most out of a visit to your museum. in this article we look at best practice for museum wayfinding, from signage to

Hanging Signs Isn’t Always a Straightforward Task

You’d think a parking garage would be a fairly cut and dry project, with color-coded signs for each level, arrows to direct traffic flow, ADA signage, elevator occupancy signs, and indications pointing out stairwells, right? Well, like the posted 5 mph speed limit, not so fast. A lot more planning and coordination goes into designing, manufacturing, and installing signs for a parking deck than it first appears. Metro began work on the Hamilton Canal Innovation District Parking Structure in collaboration with general contractor Shawmut Design and Construction of Boston, MA. In addition to providing signage for the brand new parking structure, future plans for this project include creating and installing signs for the office building yet to come. Collaboration and

Shopping malls are one of the most ubiquitous spaces of modern capitalist cities. It is calculated that in the United States alone, more than 2,000 shopping malls exist, accounting for nearly 75% of all non-automotive sales in this country. You’d think that navigating a parking lot doesn’t require an advanced degree, right? And yet many parking areas — whether lots, decks, or garages — lack clearly legible signs, have few entrances to help people orient, and generally complicate a driver’s ability to navigate. A study of a parking lot owned by one of the latest shopping malls in Santiago, Chile, mapped and analyzed the trajectories of about 500 people. The study concluded that despite their apparent simplicity, parking lots aren’t

No one likes to get lost! And one of the best ways an institution can help people find their way or get important information quickly and clearly is to employ signage. In fact, signage offers a good tool for higher education settings. Freestanding signs with electronic message center displays (EMC) distribute daily and emergency information efficiently, and wayfinding signs help people navigate campus more easily. Interior signs can reinforce learning by supporting multimedia for lectures or enhance the interdepartmental recognition of student accomplishments by enabling departments to promote their students’ successes. And consistent signage supports both an institution’s branding and elevates its school spirit. Metro Sign has worked with a variety of colleges and universities right here in the heart

One of the colleges with whom Metro Sign has worked is Fitchburg State — a client for over three years. Some of the college’s first projects included adding need-based interior photopolymer Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signs. This initial opportunity led to additional signage projects including wayfinding, monument signs, directories, building identification, and award displays. One important job included the addition of flashing pedestrian signs at crosswalks. College administrators worried that vehicles failed to slow down when students and faculty entered the crosswalks, which could cause a hazardous situation. To keep both vehicle and foot traffic safe, Metro Sign installed environmentally-friendly new pedestrian signs with flashers activated by the press of a button. These solar-powered lights flash visibly to vehicles