Wayfinding design toolbox - The Velvet Principle https://thevelvetprinciple.com Wayfinding Consultants Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:01:11 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 Guidance for Festival Wayfinding https://thevelvetprinciple.com/guidance-for-festival-wayfinding/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guidance-for-festival-wayfinding Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:29:50 +0000 https://thevelvetprinciple.com/?p=8025 Finding your way round large complex festival sites can be challenging - here’s some practical guidance to help increase the effectiveness of festival wayfinding.

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Guidance for Festival Wayfinding

Finding your way round large complex festival sites can be challenging - here’s some practical guidance to help increase the effectiveness of festival wayfinding.
Night-time view across a festival camping site towards the main arena

Over the summer members of The Velvet Principle team spent a couple of long weekends working as volunteer stewards at two festivals. Our roles primarily involved checking wrist bands at different entry points; or roaming the arena and campsites – answering queries and generally being ears and eyes to ensure that all festival goers had a safe and enjoyable experience.  Perhaps unsurprisingly most of the queries were wayfinding related.

Festival Wayfinding Challenges

We fully appreciate the challenges faced by festival organisers when it comes to providing information to help customers navigate site:

  • The sites particularly if providing camping can be quite extensive.
  • They also have a very short time in which to build and take it down.
  • With many different offers and traders all competing for attention, festivals are visually noisy environments. Making it difficult for information to cut through.
  • To keep festival goers safe, wherever possible pedestrians need to be kept away from vehicles traffic which can result in some convoluted routes.
  • As well as the cost, physical signage that it is discarded at the end of the festival could impact on the sustainability ambitions of the festival.

Key Observations and Opportunities

When it’s your day job you can’t help but assess the effectiveness of the wayfinding information you meet away from the office.  Although there is no substitute for a carefully considered strategy, created by an experienced wayfinding professional, below are some key things for festival organisers to consider:

  1. Ensure consistency in the nomenclature given to different facilities or areas. At one festival, there seemed to be three different references associated with each camping area.
  2. When translating a map designed for a large format sign to a handheld printed booklet or App, check that icons/pictograms used to identify key facilities are clearly visible at this smaller scale – particularly in low light conditions.
  3. Use high level large signs, visible in views across the site to identify key facilities/services (e.g. toilets, water stations, first-aid & welfare, lost property, phone charging). Pairing these with identification signs at a more human scale at the entrances/gateways.
  4. To help cut through the competing visual noise, apply a common design style across all festival wayfinding signs. This should reflect the design approach used on other visitor touchpoints and brand communication e.g. promotional material, website, tickets, wristbands etc.

Taking it to the Next Level

The above covers opportunities for improving the effectiveness of what one or both organisers were already providing. But if you really want to deliver a high level of customer service and maximise the festival experience a more strategic approach is recommended

  1. Starting with developing a comprehensive list of key facilities and services. This should encompass all amenities, services, offers and key destinations (e.g. toilets, showers, water stations, accessibility platforms, welfare, first aid, security, lost property, phone charging services, silent disco headphone pick points, waste disposal points, as well as stages/arenas, different campsites; exits, transport pick up points, car parks). Essentially everything a festival goer might need to know for the duration of their stay, starting with arrival through to departure.
  2. Establish a hierarchy to enable the information to be communicated in a way that is manageable and accessible.
  3. Explore routes across site between key destinations to identify decision points where interventions are needed to assist visitor journeys and or reassure them that they are going the right way.


While some of these interventions may involve installing signage thereby adding to costs, there are a range of other tools that could be used to assist with navigation – such as lighting, defined pathways/fencing and landmarks. However, a considered, future-proofed design and robust material selection, could enable the signs to be reused again and again.

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The post Guidance for Festival Wayfinding appeared first on The Velvet Principle.]]> Pedestrian Map Design https://thevelvetprinciple.com/pedestrian-map-design/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pedestrian-map-design Thu, 24 Oct 2024 08:51:36 +0000 https://thevelvetprinciple.com/pedestrian-map-design/ Tasked with designing a pedestrian map or plan as part of a wayfinding scheme? Here's some of the key things you need to consider to ensure that it can be easily understood and interpreted

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How to Design Pedestrian Wayfinding Maps and Plans

Tasked with designing a pedestrian map or plan as part of a wayfinding scheme? Here's some of the key things you need to consider to ensure that it can be easily understood and interpreted
Mall map design for Trinity Leeds Shopping Centre which includes a 'You Are Here' marker

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When visiting somewhere for the first time, we’re likely to look at a map to plan our route. Maps help us understand the local geography and develop our own cognitive map – improving our overall ability to navigate (something that mapping apps with their turn-by-turn instructions struggle to achieve). The design can reinforce the character of a place and be used to curate the offer and visit experience.

So a decision to exclude a map is a little surprising. However, when you look at what needs to be considered and factored into the design, there is plenty of scope for things to go awry and colour the view of their effectiveness as a navigation tool.

 

Key Factors to Consider in Designing Your Map

Ultimately the challenge is to create an easy to understand diagram that enables people to identify where they are; understand the general layout; locate their destination and plot a route to where they want to go. Sounds obvious, but there are a number of elements to think about and a pretty long list of things to cover off including in no particular order:

You are Here Markers

To successfully plot a route, you need to locate where you are relative to the end point. So maps should always include an obvious ‘You Are Here’ marker.

Mall map design for Trinity Leeds Shopping Centre which includes a 'You Are Here' marker

Extract from the design of the mall map for Trinity Leeds Shopping Centre

Finding a Destination

You may know the name of the place you want to go to, but you need to be able to find it on a static map. For a relatively large area such as a town centre, grid-based systems are often used to pinpoint different locations. For something more contained e.g a campus or shopping centre, individual buildings, shops or rooms may be numbered in a logical sequence on the plan. A list of destinations with their location references should accompany the map, following a logic that is easy to understand. On road maps it’s usual for street lists to be ordered alphabetically. For shopping centres the retailers may be clustered under different product categories (e.g fashion, homeware etc); within a campuses by function or activity.

Landmarks

We typically use landmarks to describe routes and our location. So including references to landmarks you’re likely to see on the route, will help with plotting and executing journeys. They provide useful stepping-stones and reassurance that you’re going the right way. Including representative icons in the design will be more memorable and interest to the map. But to work, the overall design needs to reflect the view you’ll see on the ground as a pedestrian. The graphics need to be scaled appropriately and not obscure other information.

Graphic Language and Terms

When we first encounter a new map, we’ll need to familiarise ourselves with it before we can start using it with confidence. Using terms and a graphic language that visitors are likely to be familiar with, will help to shortcut this learning. When designing a map for a discrete location, it is worth researching the wider context to identify any existing wayfinding information a visitor may already have used. Analysing the graphic language and terminology used in this; and adopting some of these precedents will help ensure a smooth transition between these different environments.

Ensuring Consistency

Maps to assist with pedestrian wayfinding rarely exist in isolation. There is a good chance they’ll be one component in a system that includes directional prompts/finger posts and identification signs. At the risk of stating the obvious, the symbols and nomenclature used on the map need to align with those used on these other sign types (and vice versa).

If the map is being designed as part of a wider wayfinding deployment this is basic good practise and easier to control. However, within cities, towns and well-established estates, the wayfinding information may have evolved over many years. As a result there may be several different designs in evidence. With solutions that have been implemented independently, through the years in response to a particular need at that time. An audit of this content will identify precedents (and probably a few conflicts).

Less Can Be More

Judgements are needed about the volume of information to include. Too much and you won’t be able to see the wood from the trees. Not enough and you risk failing to meet basic information needs. For city/town wide schemes it’s not unusual to see a nested approach, that involves displaying two maps together. One showing detailed information about the immediate area and a second with less information but covering a larger area to provide the wider context.

Substance Over Style

For a map that needs to fit within the broader brand collateral, the challenge is to balance the drive for uniqueness, with a diagram that will be recognisable in the physical environment. Highly stylised maps can look great and help communicate the quirkiness of your brand. But take too many liberties with the relative positions, scale and distances between different features and you will impact on the legibility and ultimately the usefulness of the information.

Heads Up - No Question

And of course – it’s got to be heads-up. When looking at the map, the orientation needs to reflect what you see ahead of you in the physical environment. While it might be operationally easier (and cheaper) to opt for a single North-South design for all sign locations, people find it difficult to do the mental gymnastics needed to transpose the orientation so that it fits the view in front of them.

But ultimately the only real way to check whether the design is fit for purpose is to test it with volunteers that are unfamiliar with the territory and see how easy they find it to use.

Diagram illustrating the difference between a north to south based orientation and heads up.

Diagram illustrating ‘ Heads up Maps’ in action.  Rather than a single north – south view, the diagram is oriented to reflect what a person sees in front of them.

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The post Pedestrian Map Design appeared first on The Velvet Principle.]]> Green Route Wayfinding https://thevelvetprinciple.com/green-route-wayfinding/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=green-route-wayfinding Thu, 02 Mar 2023 12:18:04 +0000 https://thevelvetprinciple.com/?p=5729 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.

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Green Route Wayfinding

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.
Map showing green spaces across London

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Image Courtesy: Greater London Authority (2020)

Why It's Key to Establishing Connected Green Networks in Towns and Cities

A few months ago, I set off from home and went for a 25km circular walk. Mostly along paths and trails flanked by grass, waterways and trees. So, what’s so remarkable about that I hear you say? Well, I don’t live in the Yorkshire Moors, Cotswolds, Snowdonia or an equally bucolic part of the UK – I live in West London. I might have had to cross 4 or 5 roads -including the not so insignificant A3. But other than 1.5k or so along residential roads close to home, I was able to go for a 25k ‘country walk’ in one of the most congested cities in the world. A walk that took in a park, common, small woodland and river tow path. Personally, I think that’s pretty amazing.

West London has more than its fair share of open green spaces. But as well as being one of the most congested cities in the world, London, as a whole, is also one of the greenest. No doubt there are other parts of The Capital that are equally blessed, while others are not so fortunate. Just look out the airplane window on a daylight flight into Heathrow and you can’t help but notice pockets of green stretching out across the city.

There have and continue to be many initiatives designed to promote the greening of our towns and cities, as well as encourage more active lifestyles and enjoyment of the natural environment.  Not least, among the cohort of national trails, the 298km Thames Path, that starts at the source of the Thames in Gloucestershire and follows the river through to Woolwich. Contained within the city ‘borders’ are the 126km Capital Ring and the 240k Outer London Loop . Trails, that circumnavigate the capital – passing through a series of parks, commons and nature reserves en route.

Daffodils in Richmond Park
View of Richmond Bridge from the Thames Tow Path

Walking green trails and open spaces along tow paths and parks in West London

The ambition to establish a connected network of green infrastructure – The All London Green Grid – was captured in the Supplementary Planning Guidance to the All London Plan 2011. Within this, as well as creating new parks and open spaces, there is an emphasis on establishing green linkages between these assets across the capital.

There is something compelling about the opportunity to walk through a major world city, via a network of parks, nature reserves and green corridors, rather than pavements on busy roads. The wayfinding community has the potential to play an important role in implementing these ambitions. By capturing and increasing the visibility of this green infrastructure within the navigation information we design. By virtue of it being home, the focus has been on London, but these sentiments apply equally to cities and towns across the UK and beyond!

When creating the wayfinding strategy for a large development, wayfinding consultants will routinely examine adjacent public transport routes, roads and cycle paths. They will also no doubt, include references to natural landscape features located close by. But do they always make explicit the availability of green routes on the doorstep? I’m not so sure. But it is certainly an aspect we need to be factoring into the mix.

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The post Green Route Wayfinding appeared first on The Velvet Principle.]]> Wayfinding Signage Fire Safety Regulations https://thevelvetprinciple.com/wayfinding-signage-fire-regulations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wayfinding-signage-fire-regulations Thu, 07 Jul 2022 16:35:19 +0000 https://thevelvetprinciple.com/?p=4199 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.

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Wayfinding Fire Safety Regulations

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.
Front cover fire safety building regulations document

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The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into force on 23rd January 2023. This makes it a legal requirement for all residential buildings with a top storey more than 11 metres above ground level to have wayfinding signage installed.

These regulations require floor level identification and flat directional signage to be installed on all floor levels, with very specific instructions as to the design, location and position. 

For anyone invovled in designing, implemening or commissioning wayfinding signage the table below summarises the main requirements. Full details can be found in the updated 2019 versions of The Building Regulations 2010.

NB All new and any existing multi-occupancy residential buildings that are undergoing material improvements, that are above 11m from ground, are already required to install wayfinding signage.

Summary of wayfinding signagerequirements to comply with new fire safety regulation in high rise residential buildings

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The post Wayfinding Signage Fire Safety Regulations appeared first on The Velvet Principle.]]> Biophilic Wayfinding Design https://thevelvetprinciple.com/biophilic-wayfinding-design/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=biophilic-wayfinding-design Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:17:00 +0000 https://thevelvetprinciple.com/?p=3333 What are the benefits of biophilic design and how can wayfinding and environmental graphic design contribute. In this post we explore the evidence and discuss the different components that make up biophilic design

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Biophilic Wayfinding Design

What are the benefits of biophilic design and how can wayfinding and environmental graphic design contribute. In this post we explore the evidence and discuss the different components that make up biophilic design
Examples of biophilic principles applied to environmental graphics

Examples of indirect experiences of nature in biophilic design.  Representations of nature used to enliven interior environments. 

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We’ve previously discussed the contribution of good wayfinding information design to wellbeing. Whether it’s by encouraging more active forms of travel or reducing stress that comes from being lost.  But what about the design itself?

Health & Well-Being Benefits of Biophilia

There are several academic studies that have found a positive corelation between productivity and happiness with exposure to nature. This has led to a growing interest in biophilic design within the built environment. We were keen to explore if and how we could employ biophilic design principles within the design of wayfinding systems.

Records on recovery after cholecystectomy of patients in a suburban Pennsylvania hospital between 1972 and 1981 were examined to determine whether assignment to a room with a window view of a natural setting might have restorative influences. Twenty-three surgical patients assigned to rooms with windows looking out on a natural scene had shorter postoperative hospital stays, received fewer negative evaluative comments in nurses’ notes, and took fewer potent analgesics than 23 matched patients in similar rooms with windows facing a brick building wall.

View Through a Window may Influence Recovery from Surgery – Roger Ulrich, Chalmers University of Technology

What is Biophilic Design

If you’d asked me a couple of weeks ago what biophilic design was, I’d have probably mumbled something about plants and indoors. Digging deeper I’ve discovered that there is an awful lot more to it. What’s more, a fair number of our previous projects have incorporated elements of biophilic design.

Experiences with nature are at the heart of biophilic design and these fall within three categories, direct, indirect and experience of place.

Direct Experience of Nature –this relates to direct contact with elements of the natural world. Extending beyond plants to animals, water, light, air, temperature, changing seasons and embraces all the senses – sight, hearing, taste, smell and feel. It’s about designing buildings that offer views of nature and landscapes rather than brick walls; incorporating water features and planting; implementing building management systems that allow for variable air flow, temperature and light.

Indirect Experience of Nature – as the name suggests this refers to representations of nature. This can be as obvious as images of nature; design of biomorphic forms; use of natural materials or materials with a patina (or similar) that reflect the passage of time; and patterns. Patterns can include direct representations of nature, but also highly ordered geometric/fractal patterns.

Experience of Place – includes addressing primitive instincts by providing clear views so that we see what and who might be approaching; as well as smaller, more hidden spaces for some quiet reflection. Of particular interest to The Velvet Principle, including wayfinding cues that enable people to move freely without anxiety and imbue a sense or security. At the other end of the spectrum are spaces that provide bit of mystery and encourage exploration.

From the quick canter through the principles of biophilic design, wayfinding consultants have an important role to play in the experience of place. Equally in the design of forms, graphic content and material selection. But to truly adhere to biophilic principles requires an integrated design approach that considers the building as a whole; and is contextually relevant to the environment. So if the project is based in a desert, the design inspiration needs to be drawn from that landscape rather than a tropical rainforest.

Want to Find Out More?

For more detailed and authoritative discussions about biophilic design principles – here’s a couple of papers that you might find interesting.

14 Patterns of Biophilic Design – Terrapin Bright Green

The Practice of Biophilic Design –Stephen R. Kellert & Elizabeth F. Calabrese​

View Through a Window may Influence Recovery from Surgery – Roger Ulrich, Chalmers University of Technology

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The post Biophilic Wayfinding Design appeared first on The Velvet Principle.]]> Icons, Pictograms And Symbols https://thevelvetprinciple.com/icons-pictograms-and-symbols/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=icons-pictograms-and-symbols Thu, 30 Apr 2020 13:53:56 +0000 Anyone involved in the world of wayfinding and sign design is likely to come across the terms pictogram, icon and symbol sooner rather than later. As jargon goes these terms, are pretty innocuous. But what's the difference between an icon, pictogram and symbol? We give our view on their different uses in wayfinding design.

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Icons Pictograms And Symbols

Anyone involved in the world of wayfinding and sign design is likely to come across the terms pictogram, icon and symbol sooner rather than later. As jargon goes these terms, are pretty innocuous. But what's the difference between an icon, pictogram and symbol? We give our view on their different uses in wayfinding design.
Department of Transport pictograms showing various symbols as black outlines

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Image Courtesy: Department of Transport

What's the Difference

Anyone involved in the world of wayfinding and sign design is likely to come across the terms pictogram, icon and symbol sooner rather than later. As jargon goes these terms, are pretty innocuous. Symbol as a word is pretty universal. Icon might be more strongly associated with religious artefacts or an exceptional individual than map design, but most will have a broad understanding of what it means in a wayfinding context. And even if they haven’t come across pictogram before, they’ll be able to make an educated guess.

In discussions it’s not unusual to hear two or even all three being used interchangeably to describe the same thing. Which begs the question do they mean the same thing? And if so are we guilty of using three different terms just to confuse?

Icon

I’ve always used icon to describe an image that represents something physical. So typically on a map it would be a graphic representation of a particular building – a facsimile of a landmark that somebody would be able to associate with the real thing.

Pictogram

Whereas a pictogram is a graphic used to communicate a concept or phrase that can be easily interpreted and understood. Arrows are good example of pictograms in action. A red circle with a diagonal red line crossing an arrow pointing left, represents the no left turn in the Highway Code. It’s a simple diagram that conveys an instruction that would take a short sentence to communicate.

A tourist map of London that includes a graphic representation of key visitor attractions

Image courtesy: tripindicator.com

Highway Code symbol for no left turn

Image courtesy: The Highway Code

Symbol

Strongly associated with the world of standards, a symbol is a graphic or pictogram that has been assigned with a formally accepted meaning. The connection between the graphic and the word or phrase it represents may not be so obvious and has to be learned. The signs used to communicate the whereabouts of toilets are a case in point. The male and female stick figures bear little resemblance to the physical representation of the place or the activities undertaken. Consistent use of these symbols on toilet facilities has resulted in a universal understanding of what they mean (although if used in isolation can be challenging for people suffering from cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s or Dementia).

Others may have a different take – certainly a quick Internet search doesn’t reveal anything too definitive on the subject. When it comes to communication context is key. In a wayfinding discussion – whether you use the word symbol, pictogram or icon, based on prior experience of using maps and signs to navigate, you’ll broadly understand what is being referred to. So does it really matter what we call them?

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The post Icons, Pictograms And Symbols appeared first on The Velvet Principle.]]> The Art Of Vertical Banner Design https://thevelvetprinciple.com/vertical-banner-design/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vertical-banner-design Thu, 30 Apr 2020 13:41:32 +0000 Vertical banner signs are frequently seen on the sides of buildings and shops or fixed to lampposts. For multi-storey buildings, applying high level, banner signs can help cut through the visual noise and increase visibility of the brand, destination or promotional message. When it comes to the layout should the letters read from the bottom to top or vice versa?

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The Art of Vertical Banner Design

Vertical banner signs are frequently seen on the sides of buildings and shops or fixed to lampposts. For multi-storey buildings, applying high level, banner signs can help cut through the visual noise and increase visibility of the brand, destination or promotional message. When it comes to the layout should the letters read from the bottom to top or vice versa?
Creative design for an entrance identification sign to a car park

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Vertical banner signs are frequently seen on the sides of buildings and shops or fixed to lampposts. For multi-storey buildings, applying high level, banner signs can help cut through the visual noise and increase visibility of the brand, destination or promotional message.

Vertical banner signs are frequently seen on the sides of buildings and shops or fixed to lampposts. For multi-storey buildings, applying high level, banner signs can help cut through the visual noise and increase visibility of the brand, destination or promotional message.

Text Orientation

When it comes to designing the content, laying out text in a vertical rather than horizontal orientation will make the most out of the space. With less line breaks is will also be easier to read. There are three potential orientation options as illustrated below:

  1. Horizontal – 90° clockwise (top to bottom)
  2. Horizontal – 90°counter-clockwise (reading bottom to top)
  3. Marquee style with stacked upright letters

For languages based on the roman alphabet we’re used to reading text horizontally from left to right.  Stacking letters one on top of the other, in a marquee style, is unfamiliar and research has proven it to be a slower read. As such should be used with caution and then only with a short amount of text.

Diagram showing three orientations for laying out text in a vertical banner sign. The arrangement reads top to bottom, the middle bottom to top and the right shows the letters stacked on top of each other in a marquee style

What Horizontal Option is Best?

However, whether vertically oriented text should read from bottom to top or vice versa is one of those hoary subjects that is debated among wayfinding folk. To date I’m yet to come across any empirical research that provides definitive guidance either way for signs.

The argument made by the ‘top to bottom’ camp is that this reflects how text is oriented on book spines and ispo facto should be used on signs.

The counter observation from the ‘bottom to top’ contingent about the book spine rationale, is that:

  1. The text is arranged top to bottom so that when the book is laid flat the text on the spine reads left to right horizontally and
  2. This orientation is only found in the UK and US – in the rest of Europe and the world it tends to be the other way around.

They will reason that as a person glances upwards to view the sign, their eyes will lock on the first letter at the bottom and be drawn upwards to take in the rest of the content. So, it makes sense for the message to read from top to bottom.

Selection of books on a shelf some are stacked vertically and other are lying flat on the shelf
Diagram featuring two sets of text arranged vertically - one reading top to bottom the other bottom to top. An eye graphic is placed at the bottom of each with a dotted line and arrow shows the viewing trajectory

Our View

Personally, I question the validity of translating design rules applied to items you can hold in your hand and view at eyelevel; to objects that can be several metres long and placed a few more above head height. If you take a people centred design perspective, orienting the text so that the point closest to the eye level of the reader is the start point seems to make more sense. So, for high level signs – that means arranging the text to read from the bottom to top. For more human scale totem signs, where eye level is likely to coincide with the top of the sign – top to bottom.

Whatever school of thought you subscribe to, we should at least strive for consistency. There are plenty of examples where there is a mix of both. While it might be difficult mandate along High Streets under mixed ownership, I’d have through it would be relatively easy to legislate for within managed buildings or estate

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The post The Art Of Vertical Banner Design appeared first on The Velvet Principle.]]> Importance Of Landmarks in Wayfinding https://thevelvetprinciple.com/importance-of-landmarks-in-wayfinding/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=importance-of-landmarks-in-wayfinding Thu, 30 Apr 2020 13:33:29 +0000 Highlighted in Kevin Lynch’s seminal book on urban planning The Image of the City, landmarks play an important role in helping us understand a place. Not only do they provide the datum points that help us build a mental map, we rely on them to find our way round. Therefore, an audit of the local context to identify potential landmarks should be a key input in the development of a wayfinding strategy.

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Importance of Landmarks in Wayfinding

Highlighted in Kevin Lynch’s seminal book on urban planning The Image of the City, landmarks play an important role in helping us understand a place. Not only do they provide the datum points that help us build a mental map, we rely on them to find our way round. Therefore, an audit of the local context to identify potential landmarks should be a key input in the development of a wayfinding strategy.
Pool of London Wayfinding Sign Design

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Role of Landmarks

Landmarks help to humanise and bring colour to navigation and orientation tasks. Ask anyone for directions and no doubt they will pepper their instructions with references to various features along the route.  Be it a pub, school, statue or supermarket, these landmarks are the stepping-stones on the journey that help bring the route to life. Functionally they are the visual cues that confirm we’re going the right way; alert us when we need to take action or act as beacons pulling us in a particular direction.

What Makes Good Landmark?

To be effective, ‘the thing’ needs to be large enough to been seen from a distance, be distinctive and unambiguous. Compare these attributes with those of more traditional wayfinding aids, such as road names or fingerposts. These visual references are usually limited to the size of the nameplate – visible only at close range.

Landmarks within buildings can come in a range of guises. They can be design features such as lifts, stairs, public art, as well as signs (particularly identity signs). The activity undertaken within a building will also generate its own landmark typology:

  • Shopping centres – the anchor tenants/major retailers;
  • Offices – the reception desk, canteen or facilities such as the post room;
  • Schools – the canteen, gym, head teacher’s office, library, playground.
Marble Arch building
Large letter T in a gothic style, applied above the entrance to The Trinity Leeds shopping centre. The sign is formed from a stainless-steel outline and filled with individual metal discs to give it sparkle. In front of the sign is a metal mesh sculpture of the goddess Minerva.

Examples of landmarks, ranging from historic monuments such as Marble Arch in London, through to public art and the high level identification sign over the entrance to Trinity Leeds shopping centre. 

Incorporating Landmarks Within a Wayfinding Strategy

Once identified, landmarks need to be accommodated within the design of the wayfinding scheme. An obvious approach is to include representative graphics on maps or within directional signs, ensuring that the design coincides with the view that people are likely to see en route.

Often a wayfinding designer will create or establish new landmarks as part of the implementation. This could be as simple as threading references to anchor tenants within the wayfinding information for a shopping centre. However, the design of the signs themselves, offers significant scope for creating additional landmarks. Landmarks, that if of sufficient scale and optimally located, will help generate awareness and act as a beacon.

Alternatively, it could involve introducing colour or graphics to create a feature wall. Not only will such differentiators help communicate the character of the brand and add to the overall aesthetic, they will have an important functional role in orientation and navigation.

So yes, landmarks are an important component of any wayfinding strategy. Not only does the consultant have to identify and consider how best to incorporate existing cues into the scheme; they also need to explore opportunities for introducing new landmarks to increase the legibility of the place.

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