Earning high marks for a campus revamp
The University of Houston looked to us to transform their campus exterior experience to an A+.
Capabilities applied:
Install & beyond:
When the University of Houston Clear Lake campus needed a total replacement of their aging exterior signage system, they knew it would be no small task. To start, the campus is an expansive 524-acres. It features more than a dozen buildings, athletic fields, parking facilities and–to top it off–a nature preserve. Our solution needed to serve this beautifully diverse campus, addressing both vehicular and pedestrian wayfinding.
And as they embarked on the project, they also realized they had many priorities. Top of mind: the visitor and student experiences. But not far behind were modernization, updatability, and durability in the new sign program. They turned to Takeform to be the valedictorian of this multifaceted, priority-laden project.
Where:
Houston, TX
Other contributors:
Interior Design Firm | Heather DeMoras Design Consultants, Inc.
CAPABILITIES APPLIED
Project Management
This complex exterior signage system and sprawling campus required a hands-on approach. Our project team collaborated with University stakeholders from the onset. We managed the full implementation from planning through design, site surveys, approval docs, fabrication and install - a full scale logistical juggle that required every bit of our management muscle.
Site Survey
An initial survey identified preferred signage placement and ensured the preservation of wayfinding intent. A series of walk-thrus then confirmed and marked the final location and position for each sign. As installation progressed, we partnered with utilities to mark their presence in proximity to each dig site.
Planning
We developed color renderings of every sign type, site plans, copy proofs and full approval documents designed to facilitate approval by the university. Permits, where required were secured with the appropriate on and off-campus authorities.
Design Support
To ensure a consistent brand experience for visitors, the Takeform team worked closely with the university to ensure the highest fidelity to the university's brand including accurate translation for the color palette, including the challenging color-match process for the sophisticated porcelain-clad signs. We also consulted on design issues assuring that a consistent visual wayfinding language would emerge in the form of a sign hierarchy. The hierarchy designated a sign type and color with the category of information provided, such as entry, directional, parking or building identity.
Engineering & Fabrication
Tight collaboration proved key at every step. Our engineers collaborated with project engineers to construct sign foundations compatible with this specialized fabrication and rigorous client requirements. Working with the University's architect, we ensured the entire system complemented the campus aesthetic such as modifying our approach to accommodate atypical foundation materials.
PRODUCTS
Entry monuments | Signify
Takeform created internally illuminated, branded monuments for the main and secondary entrances. Push-through logo and lettering provide a dramatic sense of arrival, whether day or night.
Vehicular & pedestrian directionals | Signify
Porcelain is one of the most durable materials available for exterior signage. Its fade resistance accommodates ongoing updates over the life of the sign. Porcelain's color integrity prevents ghost fading around lettering between such copy updates.
Pedestrian campus map signage | Custom Exterior Signage
To guide campus travelers on their journeys with just a quick glance, signs featured bent aluminum structures, angled for easy viewing, with embedded maps on replaceable panels.
Nature trail signage | Custom Exterior Signage
Takeform created interpretive signs throughout the nature trails to highlight aspects of interest. The guiding principle: inform without disrupting nature. Signage included wildlife caution signs to alert explorers on their hikes. And, like the campus maps, nature signs featured bent aluminum construction and updateable embedded print panels.
Parking | Signify
With visitor, faculty, staff and student vehicles to accommodate, a parking system that's easy to navigate becomes vital. The parking signage system included cabinet-style parking lot IDs featuring porcelain with updatble vinyl lettering. Color-coded pole-mounted parking IDs custom mount for each pole size. Pay station markers are carried through the color-coded system.
Vehicular Traffic Signage | Signify
To keep traffic running smoothly, and ensure a favorable brand experience, Takeform replaced all traffic signage and street IDs with fresh, bright signage.
INSTALL & BEYOND
Removal/Installation
On a busy campus, thousands rely on signage every day. So, we enacted a rolling phased removal and installation to keep existing signage intact until the very moment its replacement was ready. Then, we installed the new sign before removing the old one. This kept blank spots in the system to a minimum.
Ownership Services
Campuses are vibrant, ever-changing places – professor and administration offices change, buildings are renamed, classrooms repurposed. Our Ownership Services and TakeCare App ensure the University of Houston is always at the head of the class.
