OUGD405: Studio Brief 01 - Study Task 01 - Wayfinding

23/11/15

Leeds Beckett University - The Rose Bowl - Business and Law building 

Library

The Henry Moore Institute research building

Primark

After looking around Leeds for examples of wayfinding. We found that public spaces tend to use a block list of places to give directions and distinguish where you are in that area. For example, Leeds Beckett Rose Bowl highlights the section of their list in grey where you are now and on each different level it would highlight another level. Similar to the Library, it uses a different shade of colour to highlight where you are now. The Henry Moore Institute uses the same method but their list is more illustrative with the use of the stairs in their design. Lists make the places easily legible and it is clear to interpret where you are within the map. 

The Primark one shows where Primark is in Trinity. This map is the most visually pleasing because it includes small illustrations and symbols along with a variety of colours instead of being a block list such as the previous ones have been. 

24/11/15

Leeds Art Gallery 

The signage in this art gallery is very minimalistic. As it was such a big place I wanted to make sure I took a lot of images of the way finding pieces in context to see how scale and composition of the directions was around the gallery. I think that the really basic and simple forms are really effective as methods of way finding because you can glance at them as you pass and know where to go next such as following the arrows as shown above. Whereas if it was text heavy instead of passing by you would have to stop and read it; so if for example the traffic of people within the gallery was busy then no one would need to stop and cause an obstruction to someone else. 

Urban Outfitters

An aspect about this example of way finding is the uniqueness to it. It is the same list style of what purpose each floor in the store had but it is set up in a bespoke way to work with their artwork within the shop. It is easily legible and interesting to look at. The monochromatic colour scheme makes it easy on the eyes and works in theme with their products and stock.