Mahinour Lotfy's profile

GUC - Signage and Wayfinding

After I had successfully finished my bachelor thesis research on creating a way-finding system and coming up with an initial design idea for the signage, the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Arts developed a grid and assigned a Typeface for the faculty. 

The new challenge was to apply the research conducted to the new guidelines.
Faculty Identifier
The character height for ‘Applied’ should equal the height for ‘Sciences And Arts’ The word ‘Sciences’  cap height should be alligned with the cap height for ‘Applied’ as ‘and Arts’ should always be the same point size and on the same base line. ‘And Arts’ base line should lay on the same baseline for ‘Applied’. 
The Typeface Kaff
This typeface establishes a contemporary appearance and meets the specific requirements of simplicity and versatility. 
Typographic complexity is an essential ingredient for the development of a rich graphic design culture.
The Typeface Kaff
29LT Kaff is a practical modern Arabic/Latin font family which welcomes a new tool for the growing graphical culture of the Middle East.  The proportions of the Arabic and Latin letterforms are designed to meet each other halfway.

The Kaff family’s wide range of weights supports typesetting complexity, and allows for a spectrum of uses, at different sizes, and for a variety of purely Arabic or bilingual design applications.
Typographic Hierarchy
The diagram on the left page shows that this is a modular grid, displaying how different sizes can fit inside of each other.
On the right page, the typographic hierarchy is shown to explain how the different text can be displayed in any form for the faculty.
The Grid.
The faculty design grid includes sloping lines, which helps the designer to play around with the design created. Shapes can be made using the grid and can be part of the Faculty identifiers, which creates a brand visual image for the faculty.

The shapes can be too simple where it is developed using basic shapes followed by the grid. The shapes can get complex by creating a closed shape where it gives a 3D illusion.
The signage system is just one part of the complete faculty rebrand.
On each of the buildings there will be a sign designed by the FASA grid, large enough to identify the building from afar.
On each entrance of the building, will be written the letter and number associated with it, in semi bold, maximum height 80 cm. The letter and the number will be stuck separately, on each side of the entrance. They will be printed on a white
sheet. The elements are large enough to be seen from afar.
Stair Sign.

This is the sign that is going to be stuck next to the stairs. It is designed based on the identity of the FASA. The idea is that it states which faculties, or important facilities are present. The floor which the sign is placed on will be highlighted with the already stated FASA color blue. This sign is designed so that it splits around a corner, so that the floor numbers are on a wall, and the rest of the information are at the wall adjacent to it.

The elevators are always placed in front of the stairs, this way the floor number placed can act as a reassurance for people coming out of the elevator to know which floor they have arrived.
Directional Arrow

This directional arrow is found on the wall, the first diagram people see once they get out of the elevator and off the stairs.

These directional arrows were designed on the grid by creating shapes that look they are folding that can also work as arrows. These arrows are buildable to hold as much information as needed for directional purposes. In the case of secondary information like the placement of the different departments, additional information like that go in boxes like demonstrated below.
The strokes are equal for the fonts and the outline of the arrows, while the inner lines are a quarter of that length and the stroke of the text is always a third of the original size
This is a map of the second floor of the D building. It was created on the new FASA grid. It shows where the different sections and rooms are, it also shows the specific places of different facilities. The map will be placed on a wall that is grey, and for that reason the map is to be printed in white onto it.
Directional Arrow

This directional arrow is found in the corners, near the portals that flow to different parts of the building.

These directional arrows were designed on the grid by creating shapes that look they are folding that can also work as arrows. These arrows are buildable to hold as much information as needed for directional purposes. In the case of secondary information like the placement of the different departments, additional information like that go in boxes like demonstrated below.
The strokes are equal for the fonts and the outline of the arrows, while the inner lines are a quarter of that length and the stroke of the text is always a third of the original size.
Construction of door signs
Five different door signs were designed for five different situations. All of the signs are designed on the grid, showing the FASA identity. This page shows how the door signs would be if an office has one or more instructors and the door sign for workshops.

These door signs are split into two parts, the upper part identifying the room number, which department the office is apart of and information about the instructor. This is printed on a transparent sheet that is then placed on a plastic
board. The second part is of an empty place where the instructor is free to write notes. These notes could be written directly onto the sheet, or inserted into the plastic plane. In the case of two instructor in one room, a duplicate of the lower section is added to the right side of the sign for both instructor to have their own notepad. Adding the initials of each professor to the right corner of each notepad. In the case of the door sign for the workshops, the workshop‘s icon
would be placed on the bottom right corner.

For the TA offices, the upper part will include the names and the emails of each of
the TAs while the repeated idea of the empty space for any notes. As for the studio
door signage, the upper part will show the room number and the class schedule for
this specific studio, with again the added notepad for any required note.
Based on research, the vision field of most people is from 150 to 160cm, for that reason the plate is placed at 155cm. The plate is also placed 10cm away from the door. Office doors are usually singular while
studio doors are double sided, this diagram shows how the signage would be placed by each.
At the premasters exhibition
With the most talented professor, Philipp Paulsen
The minds behind the new rebranding of the faculty.
GUC - Signage and Wayfinding
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GUC - Signage and Wayfinding

Applying the way-finding research to the new grid that has been assigned to the faculty of applied arts and science, GUC.

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