In the bustling environment of a school or college campus, effective wayfinding is crucial to ensure that students, staff, and visitors find a classroom, restroom, or the main office. School wayfinding signage, though often overlooked, plays a pivotal role in guiding and informing, as well as maintaining safety.
While many sectors use wayfinding signs, educational institutions have their own unique needs and challenges. In this article, we will lay out the core requirements, best practices, and creative school signage ideas that not only improve navigation, but also boost school spirit.
More than just letters on boards, proper school wayfinding signage is a system of visual cues and communication tools designed to guide and inform individuals as they navigate the hallways to their destination.
Wayfinding signs can be broken down into four categories:
Although any institution can benefit from wayfinding signage, schools must take several unique factors into account.
Emergency signage should cover every contingency and comply with all regulations.. Important examples include:
Vibrant, easy-to-read signs help draw the eye, which is crucially important when people are lost. With walls often covered in posters, photos, and trophies, this critical information should be easy to spot in an instant. Remember to accommodate people with disabilities, such as adding braille to your signs, as full ADA compliance should be a goal for school wayfinding signage.
The desire to put every piece of information on your signage may be very strong, but remember to put yourself in the shoes of a new student or a guest. Can they look at the sign and understand where they should go or what they should do? Effective signage must provide key information without overwhelming or confusing readers.
The planning and design stages are the most crucial for school signage projects, so keep these principles in mind to maximize your signs’ utility:
Use simple, legible fonts and clear icons. Generally opt for sans-serif fonts. The further away people can stand and still read the words, the better. Avoiding a “wall of text” also prevents information overload.
Maintain the same design principles, color scheme, and layout across all signs. Visual consistency helps people find additional wayfinding signs quickly and helps them absorb the information more readily.
Signs should be equally visible to everyone, so schools with young students should consider placing signage lower. On the other hand, emergency signage is often up toward the ceiling so that people of all heights can read. The size of signs and fonts, plus the color palette, are main factors in visibility and legibility.
Choose materials that can withstand the test of time and the rigors of use. Outdoor wayfinding signage will be exposed to the elements year round, so material selection is important to plan. Investing in superior materials can save tremendous amounts of money by reducing the number of maintenance and repair costs over time.
Looking for creative ways to brighten up your hallways and boost school spirit? Here are some ideas to consider adding to your signage project:
A: It’s a coordinated system of directional, identification, informational, and regulatory signs that helps students, staff, and visitors navigate campuses safely and efficiently.
A: Clear signage reduces confusion, supports emergency response, improves accessibility, and creates a more welcoming experience for new students and visitors.
A: Clarity, consistency, visibility, and durability, using simple fonts/icons, a consistent design system, high-contrast colors, and materials suited for heavy use and weather.
A: Use braille/tactile lettering where required, maintain adequate color contrast and mounting heights, and place signs where they’re visible to users of all ages and abilities.
When it comes to any educational institution, school wayfinding signage is crucial to ensure safety and help people smoothly navigate on their own. That’s why it’s important to work with experienced school signage companies who know the entire process inside and out.
Flexlume has over 115 years of experience creating stunning and reliable commercial signage. As a vertically-integrated sign company, we partner with schools and universities on the full process — from design and permitting to fabrication, installation, and ongoing maintenance.
Ready to improve navigation and safety on your campus? Contact Flexlume today to start your project.