In addition to a well planned wayfinding programs, it is important to carefully select the material and the design language of the signs needed for wayfinding. One may argue that the choice of materials and the extent of design expression is governed by the budgets.In our experience, it is extremely important as a design consultant, for us to get the client ''on-board'' with what is the most appropriate choice of materials keeping performance aspects in consideration.
The above samples were made in mild steel, despite the client's initial reservations on the materials weathering performance. Such fears were easily allayed by educating the client on the performance merits of powder-coating all surfaces of the metal. This was not the only strategy used here, we also ensured that in the production of the signs, no tubular sections were used but MS sheets folded into 'C' & 'L' sections were used so that it could be powder-coated on all surfaces. Once the metal was finished, all remaining assembly was bolted with stainless steel hardware used with proper inert separators, thus further preventing any chances of corrosion.
All of this can only happen if the manufacturer's facilities are equipped with CnC 3 Axis metal manufacturing machinery and they have an engineering team that can detail and discuss possibilities thoroughly on software before going into production.
Simple gestures in design can create dynamism in the signs without complicating manufacturing processes. Here with a simple change in the vertices of a cuboid, we created a more sculpted base for the signs. This tessellation was an extension of the client's graphic identity.
