"It Feels Good to be Lost in the Right Direction".
- Unknown -
Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context – a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.
The famous quote above by Eliel Saarinen, stands true in all designers' responsibilities. What we design will affect change on the elements around it. A bit like throwing a rock into a pond, there are ripples and consquences caused by what we create. This is very true in the the field of environmental graphic design and the role it plays in placemaking and wayfinding.
When I graduated college and made the move into retail design, I was laughed at by my classmates, for while they were formatting impressive brand guidelines (developed by other designers), I was developing a standard for putting a product name, a price, and an offer on a 6" x 2" piece of card for a supermarket chain. Doesn't sound that exciting does it, but once you look under the hood, you quickly realize you are dealing with complex information hierachies and their relationships with hardware and software used for product management, stock control, reorders, product locations, and a myriad of other information. The shopper does not need to see this, but it is there. Now make it look 'designed'.
When you take this knowledge into the masterplanning of complex environments, and how you wish to direct visitors, information and information hierarchies are everything. If it doesn't function or is not easily followed, the system, irregardless of how beautiful it may be renedered, is set to fail. You should be able to use colored markers (If color is used to aid orientation for example) written on foamboard, and the sign system should still work if the information is correct. So with regard to the quote used in the headline, the information is the first instance of the design before we need to consider it in its next larger context; the materials and structure of the signs themselves, where they are located, and how they complement or contrast with the environment in which they are to be used.
Virtua Health Wayfinding & Donor
Plymouth Meeting Mall Branding & Environmental
Perelman Center Donor Instalation
Neumann University Sports & Spirituality Exhxibit
SAP Americas Corporate HQ Environmental & Wayfinding
Gala Casino Branding & Environmental
Konzum Branding & Sign Standards
St Joeseph's Medical Center Environmental & Wayfinding
University Hospitals NICU Signage & Wayfinding
Tesco Stores Retail & Environmental
Lincoln Financial Event & Environmental
Flock Bar & Restaurant Identity & Environmental
“Mark provided creative direction and was design lead on several high-end wayfinding and exhibit design collaborations during our shared time at ex;it and as a contract resource beyond. What makes him most effective is that he is a pure designer whose skills and knowledge depth go beyond any one end product. His understanding of the built environment and fabrication process gives him greater contextual background in developing the right solutions, particularly in the area of experiential design. He is also a powerhouse asset to any team, capable of onboarding remarkably quickly and can dig in and get the job done whenever and wherever necessary. I am consistently impressed by Mark's ability to develop innovative creative concepts while meeting the objective goals of both the project and the client's brand.
Keith Davis. Technical Director, KRD Design
Representative Client List (Directly and Indirectly)
When I graduated college and made the move into retail design, I was laughed at by my classmates, for while they were formatting impressive brand guidelines (developed by other designers), I was developing a standard for putting a product name, a price, and an offer on a 6" x 2" piece of card for a supermarket chain. Doesn't sound that exciting does it, but once you look under the hood, you quickly realize you are dealing with complex information hierachies and their relationships with hardware and software used for product management, stock control, reorders, product locations, and a myriad of other information. The shopper does not need to see this, but it is there. Now make it look 'designed'.
When you take this knowledge into the masterplanning of complex environments, and how you wish to direct visitors, information and information hierarchies are everything. If it doesn't function or is not easily followed, the system, irregardless of how beautiful it may be renedered, is set to fail. You should be able to use colored markers (If color is used to aid orientation for example) written on foamboard, and the sign system should still work if the information is correct. So with regard to the quote used in the headline, the information is the first instance of the design before we need to consider it in its next larger context; the materials and structure of the signs themselves, where they are located, and how they complement or contrast with the environment in which they are to be used.