University of Wales Wayfinding

Project team

Design
BDP

Client
University of Wales, Newport

service

Completion

2011

The Project

Situated on the banks of the River Usk, the Newport City Centre Campus for the University of Wales houses the Newport Business School and the design, film and digital media aspects of the Newport School of Art, Media and Design.

The Human Space team worked closely with the architectural team and interior designers to develop a wayfinding strategy that supported the university’s accessibility guidelines. The team considered a wide range of disabilities in order to make the sign system inclusive. Design interventions include: clearly signed accessible routes to aid mobility; clear use of internationally-recognized pictograms to aid understanding for non-Welsh speakers; and sign size, location and contrast were designed with people with low vision in mind. Many of the signs incorporate well-contrasted tactile text and symbols, benefitting both sighted and blind/partially sighted users.

The team also installed assistive listening systems in rooms and spaces used for meetings, lectures, classes and reception desks for the hard of hearing.

Project Images

red wall with a supergraphic "A" beside an elevator

A key design feature is the red and blue painted zones at each end of the building, which – together with the large white identifying level letters – give clear signals for orientation.

All elements of the wayfinding system are in red or blue, holding their own amid the diverse architectural spaces.

red signage with a symbol for starirs and the word Mezzanine in English and Welsh, and classroom numbers with an icon showing a teacher lecturing to students

A series of pictograms was custom-designed specifically for the university, depicting a diverse range of facilities, genders and ethnicities.

view from a mezzanine of a university library with half circle bookshelves and triple height floor to ceiling windows

Supergraphics help clearly identify building levels from afar.