Wayfinding and placemaking · School for individual needs

This project was divided into two distinct stages:

Wayfinding strategies were developed and a signage system was designed for the Regenbogenschule Dessau.
During the progress, we recognized that spatial and placemaking strategies should be proposed for a more comprehensive exercise. These strategies should be considered when a new building is being designed for the school.

1. WAYFINDING DESIGN

This signage's goal is to make the children of Regenbogen Schule feel at ease and safe while navigating the school.

Design principles

“Fit for life”

Making the kids independent in the school space and preparing them to understand visual indications found in everyday-life contexts.

· Creating a clear signs hierarchy and color coded cues that will help the children understand and create their own mind maps of the space.

· The use of universal icons.

Identity

The signage system proposes that the sense of belonging will improve the children experience of the space. The graphic system is inspired by language that they are familiarized with.

· Using basic shapes referencing traditional games that combine and adapt according to the context.

· Playful and colorful language.

Experiential

Accompany the journey of the kids through graphic content, playful and sensorial experiences.

· Making the corridor not only a transit place but a space with a lot uses for group activities or individual retreat spaces.

· Characters that accompany the journey.

Methodology

User journey

We developed the signage system by recognising the journey of the different users of the school in order to accompany and engage them with the spaces they use or transit.

The location of the signs is based in defining spaces for interaction as landmarks of the architecture that help children, teachers and visitors of the schools develop references.

Each one of those interaction space will have and activity or emphasis, developing individual or group activities for sensorial development.

Design

The final design is a colourful, simple and playful set of signs inside by classic wooden games.

Isometrics:

Facades and scale:

Design elements:

2. PLACEMAKING AND ARCHITECTURAL SRATEGIES

The proposal is a distribution that ensures the user's well being. It is designed to be a guideline, modular and flexible so that it can be used in many different context and scenarios.

Architectural lay-out strategies

The proposal ensures being in contact with nature as well as navigating through spaces for sensorial experiences, retreat or socialize. The strategies are designed with all users in mind and in a flexible/modular way to give them the best space possible, even though the context changes.

Spatial strategies

Here the strategies are told through sections, to make them easily readable. Main spaces like classrooms, hallways, service spaces and playrooms and how they connect to each other is considered. Hallways, which are usually designed as only circulation spaces, is used as multi-purpose spaces that can turn into a playground or a interaction space in this strategy. Suggestions are made on the sensorial experiences, with the possibility of every user's comfort in mind.

Interior environment

Calming materials like wood and pastel colors are used interiors. The colors also define spaces, which can be seen below. For example, yellow is for classrooms and blue is for interaction spaces. In addition to way-finding system, the figures on the walls accompany the children on their journey inside.

A4 PDF file for printing

PDF

References

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Mcintosh, J., Marques, B., & Lim, J. (2019). Designing Schools for Children with Impairments: The Powers of Architecture. 13, 17–29. https://doi.org/10.18848/2325-1328/CGP/v13i03/17-29

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https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203609163.ch26

https://brandculture.com.au/children-wayfinding-design/

https://blog.vomela.com/easy-fun-wayfinding-schools

https://www.modelsignage.co.uk/blog/makes-good-wayfinding-strategy/