In 2017 the University of Waterloo launched the Campus Wayfinding Project designed to:
- Create a sense of arrival and place;
- Improve the campus navigation experience;
- Develop a uniform, integrated and scalable wayfinding system.
With the counsel of a cross-campus advisory group, the discovery phase of the project included online and in-person surveys with students, staff, faculty alumni, as well as other audiences; a comprehensive site survey; an analysis of pedestrian traffic patterns, public transit and vehicular flow; a best practices review; and discussions with Waterloo staff and faculty with experience and expertise in wayfinding, accessibility, branding, facilities maintenance, etc. Based on this information, recommendations were developed for navigation, signage placement and type; and conceptual drawings were done to explore what the signs might look like.
After further consultation and refinement, the Campus Wayfinding Project has reached an important milestone with the development of an exterior signage system design that offers a pragmatic, yet signature look for the University. All design decisions, from shape to materials and even fabrication methods reflect the need for a system that is durable, sustainable, practical, cost-effective and uniquely Waterloo.
To preview the design system and share your thoughts on the next phase of the project, please visit uwaterloo.ca/wayfinding/campus-wayfinding-exterior-design-system.
To view the Campus Wayfinding project site visit uwaterloo.ca/wayfinding.
