The Government has launched a £200m fund to help Local Authorities make improvements and upgrade pedestrian and cycle routes and paths. Clearly creating safe and attractive routes is critical if we’re to be persuaded to ditch cars in favour of cycling and walking. Importantly, we also need to know where these car free, safe or green route options are and where they can get us to.
A few weeks ago I set off from home in West London on a 25km circular walk. Following paths and trails, flanked by trees, waterways and open spaces. With London’s reputation as one of the world’s most congested cities – I find that amazing.
It’s one of those conundrums – you’re going out to tender because you don’t have the internal expertise to fulfil an identified need. Yet for cost surety and ensure you hire the best person for the job, you need to be sufficiently knowledgeable to define exactly what you want. Leave anything open to interpretation and you’ll end up comparing apples with pears in your tender responses.
Whether it’s your first time, or you’re a seasoned procurer, this is intended as a checklist to assist in framing the scope for a wayfinding project.
If you’re about to procure or project manage a wayfinding project for the first time, this article will help you understand what to expect during the development process.
To maintain the integrity of the investment, it is important that your wayfinding information is updated to reflect any changes to building structures, brand identities and use of space. Rather than introduce another layer of information or limit attention to the affected area, these changes should be integrated seamlessly within the existing wayfinding. Otherwise, you risk creating unnecessary visual clutter, confusion and achieving lower than expected footfall. To do this successfully you need to know exactly what information is currently provided, in what form and where. In other words a wayfinding audit that catalogues the location, content and design parameters of your existing signs.
Successful delivery of large complex building projects requires an extensive team of specialist providers. To avoid costly contract variations and make sure the project remains on track, the timing of these appointments is critical. As signs tend to be installed towards the end of the build, you’d be forgiven for thinking you don’t need to worry about the wayfinding until the latter stages. Do so at your peril – here we explain why you should consider appointing a wayfinding consultant during the concept design stage.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 comes into force in January 2023. Mandating the installation of wayfinding signage in all multi-occupancy residential buildings 18 meters or seven storeys high. Here’s an overview of what you need to do to comply.
For most significant property development projects, sooner or later wayfinding or signage will come up on the to do list. If it’s something you’ve not had to deal with recently or ever – trying to identify suitable suppliers could prove a little baffling.
Here’s a little guidance on how and where to find suitable suppliers for the job.
It’s our 12th birthday – 12 years since we left the relative safety of the corporate world to set up The Velvet Principle.
A big thank you to all the wonderful people who’ve supported and worked with us over the last twelve years. May the adventures continue.
Not really sure what wayfinding is or what a wayfinding consultant does? Here’s a quick explanation of what it is and isn’t and the role of the wayfinding consultant.