Life's a pitch: Initial ideas

Interchangeable signage
This idea focuses on adaptability as it is designed so that the different parts of the signs information can slide onto the structure in a way that is needed. This means that there is endless opportunity for change which is important because it is not 100% finalised where each department will be located.

• Adaptability is key, do it by block rather than letter, as its more accessible. 
• Different sections and hook it on. 
• Bars that are off the wall so they boards don't fall. 
• Change of material between temporary and permanent modular plaques. 

Lines on floor

Another idea was to have the waydfinding system in the form of lines presented on the floors within the University so that the different colours would lead to the different departments. As a group we discussed the considerations that would need to be made and then also the problems with the idea. A colour per departments would be a verysignificant amount of colours starting from the reception of the University, making it actually harder for the visitors to navigate around the building. This confusion would ned to be clarified with written instructions which wold defet the point of a system to simplify navigation. 

Considerations:

- adaptable

- colour

- budget

- environmental

- ethics

- accessible, ease of use, legibility, universal icons

- space of new build

- durability

- consistency

- informative

- not clinical, friendly tone of voice

- location of the university + students within context

Problems:

- busy walls with prints so focus on floor

- colour coded to keep simple

- too many courses now so lots of colours all at once

- worn down

- long routes, so may forget what colour to follow

Metal signage

This more traditional approach would use wood and metal as the materials for the signs. The metal sheets would have the directions and departments laser cut out of them. The letters that have been cut out will then be placed onto chipboard, to eliminate any wastage as all materials are being used. The methods being used to make the wayfinding signs are all available within the university, so act as promotion to those visting on what they can learn. 

Metal grid

This idea develops on from the idea of having an interchangeable system and by placing a basic infrastructure around the buildings the wayfinding sytem would hve the ability to evolve and remain appropriate as the boards that would attach would simply hook on and therefore be interchangeable. The idea to use a brushed bronze metal would compliment the golden and black exterior of the new building of the university. Another part of this idea is to have it so that student work could be displayed on the hooks and they could be easily changed to suit different exhibitions and styles of events. This would mean that a lot of regular printing would have to be undertook to maintain this idea, but it would be worth it in order to create an interesting wafindign system within an arts university. The health and safety regarding this wayfinding system would be the height at which this is placed as people would not want to hurt themselves on it, but must also be able to easily read this. 

The idea which we decided to take forward was the metal grid as we felt that it had the most potential within LUA as a creative environment and with the ensurance that adaptability is available.