Improving Your Buildings Wayfinding
Wayfinding plays a critical role every day in helping people get where they need to be and promoting a safe building. No matter the building, there will always be occupants not familiar with the surroundings. Having a solid strategy in place for helping people navigate the location is key, not only for efficiency, but safety.
Over the past years, wayfinding signage options have grown. Forget the days of boring old maps on the wall or numbers directing people around a building, parking lot, or tradeshow. Not anymore. Wayfinding signage is much more than an exit arrow pointing people out, but can be called art at times. More companies, trade shows, and events want to create unique ways to help people get to where they need to go. With numerous cost-effective solutions available, what one will you choose for your building or next event?
Photoluminescent Wayfinding
Glow in the dark graphics are one of the newest trends in wayfinding. Photoluminescent wayfinding is able to stand out while it is bright outside, but also when the sun (or lights) go out. Commonly used in fire safety signage, like exit arrows that light up, photoluminescent products are electricity and battery free. Done correctly, photoluminescent wayfinding offers an excellent way for people to find their way around dimly lit areas including parking lots, event centers, or basements.
Glow in the dark graphics for wayfinding can also prevent clustering of people by giving them a quick, bright visual in dark places to find their way and move along. The sensory receptors we have in our brains are triggered by colors and this has the effect of what in wayfinding is termed ‘environmental differentiation’. In other words, this means we are able to differentiate different parts of the environment in such a way that we can better remember and find different areas or locations within a given space.
Jessup’s Glo Brite graphics media uses photoluminescent technology to offer glow in the dark wayfinding signage. By absorbing the surrounding light, the signage then can provide up to 12 hours of glowing power in some cases.
3D Wayfinding
3D graphics provide a fun and functional way to help building occupants find where they need to go. 3D graphics media can be cut to specific shapes, like exit arrows, to help direct people. Well designed 3D graphic wayfinding signage systems can enhance people’s experiences while providing a pleasant, unique experience.
Jessup Manufacturings ClearWalk is a 3D material that can be used for indoor wayfinding signage. With a translucent film on a non-slip textured surface, the pressure sensitive adhesive on the reserve side can be applied onto various surfaces indoors to accommodate your wayfinding signage system. The product itself is easily removed when the directions need to be updated.
Outdoor Floor Wayfinding
Being able to not only provide people with directions, but keep them safe with non-slip properties is a double win with this type of wayfinding signage. Outdoor floor wayfinding provides a great way for events like marathons, fairs, community gatherings, and more to get people where they need to be. From providing huge exit arrows on the ground to written directions, outdoor floor graphics are on trend right now and for good reason.
1. This type of wayfinding is extremely cost effective for outdoor gatherings. Able to be used for a single event or a longer solution, outdoor wayfinding is inexpensive and easily installed and removed.
2. Non slip properties are an added bonus with this adhesive. The elements don’t phase non-slip outdoor graphics media like Jessup’s Asphalt Art, which is just one of the reasons it is so popular for outdoor concerts, sporting events, and especially outdoor stair wayfinding signage.
3. Outdoor floor wayfinding, like other graphic media solutions, is also customizable to your event or location. An example of this is Jessup Manufacturing’s product on 85 Broad Street in New York City, where a map inspired by British Army officer and cartographer Bernard Ratzer’s, “The Plan of the City of New York in North America”, was laid out using the Asphalt Art product. Providing art while also giving the neighborhood wayfinding made it a great conversational piece.
The main place we see outdoor floor graphics being used right now is on sidewalks, outdoor stairs, and streets. Thanks to their strength they are able to conform to rough, untreated surfaces like stone, brick, and cement. Our Asphalt Art outdoor floor graphics are easy to apply and remove and can withstand heavy pedestrian traffic, making them a great short-term wayfinding solution for large events or even a longer term solution (up to 12 months) of outdoor floor wayfinding.
Safety Signage Doubles As Wayfinding
Remember, safety signage can also serve as double duty to help occupants navigate facilities, but still giving important directions to be safe on the job.
● Exit arrow signs are required by law to provide a clear path of evacuation in case of an emergency, but can also help occupants find the nearest exit even without an emergency. Exit arrow signs are an excellent form of wayfinding for simple day to day navigation.
● Create safer routes with wayfinding signage through floor decals. Floor decals provide non-slip properties and can help users in a crowded area find alternate routes with directional arrows or messaging.
● Inform workers of where to find fire exits or steer clear of hazardous areas. Wayfinding safety signage can inform users of alternate routes, outline emergency egress routes, or even point out fire extinguishers or other lifesaving equipment.
Need Help With Wayfinding Solutions?
Remember, the more complex the location or higher the population of first time visitors, the more important it is to have crystal clear wayfinding signage and systems in place. Consult with the experts at Jessup Manufacturing to help guide you to the best material and signage choices for your wayfinding.
