Planning
Interior Signs
Sizes of Signs & Interior sign sizes that are illustrated in this section have been determined to work
compromise between readability and being able to fit text on the sign.
When planning a sign program, look for conditions that are within the building
where signs will not fit. All buildings have these conditions. When encountered,
have the specific sign, at that location, modified in size to fit the specific condition
requirements.
Text size on signs has also been predetermined to meet ADA requirements for
the vision impaired. Overhead signs require large size lettering and lettering on
directional signs should be larger than on room identification signs.
Wayfinding "Wayfinding" is a term that in recent years has been used to describe the process
of finding a destination in the built environment. Signs play an active role in this
process by providing the primary form of communication in way finding
In developing a way finding system for the interior of a medical center, or the
interior of a support building, you need to follow some common guidelines.
One first needs to identify the paths of travel from originating points to
destinations.
In the interior of a building this involves the corridor system from all the building
entrances to the locations where patients and visitors are seeking a service. While
this is a primary path, a secondary primary path is from that service or location
to another service or location within the building. Like going from a Clinic to the
Pharmacy.
Identifying destinations people walk to is the process of identifying the paths of
transit. Way finding is then communicating to people along this pathway, with
appropriate directional signs.
The intersections along the corridor pathway system need to be identified in their
importance for communication. Major high traffic corridor intersections require
more communication than smaller secondary intersections.
The architectural environments in which these intersections present themselves
have an effect on a way finding program. Colors of walls, types of flooring and
lighting also affect way finding both in a positive and a negative way.
One must look at the path of travel and the decision points that are necessary to
reach the end point and where these decision points are located. At these decision
points information must be communicated in a priority of need. Departments
and destinations with heavy visitor and patient traffic have the highest priority of
communication in way finding.
The priority of need is defined as those departments or services that have the
highest percentage of people seeking them. This high demand for information then
needs to be communicated with the highest priority on directional signs along the
most direct path of travel.
Overhead signs, generally, provide emphasis to high priority directional
information. However, with the aged VA population and wheelchair patients, care
must be taken with overhead signs to insure that the these signs can be see from
a distance. If the viewing distance is to short, those that walk stooped, are in
walkers or in wheelchairs will miss these signs.
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02/2005
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