Strip District Wayfinding
Examining theories on wayfinding and placemaking to design an urban signage system that tells a story about the Strip District in Pittsburgh, PA
Research
The Strip, as it’s called, is foodie heaven and as authentic as it is fun
- “The Strip,” as locals call it, is just that — a narrow strip (one-half mile) of land between the Allegheny River and a mountain of a hill
Over the past 20 years the Strip District has truly become an international destination with not only Italian, Greek, and other European immigrants opening their businesses here but it’s become the home to Asian, Middle Eastern, African, Mexican, Caribbean, Central American, and South American businesses as well
In the late 19th century, wholesale produce merchants began locating downtown along Liberty Avenue in the 600 to 900 blocks — later became the Strip
Strip may turn into a residential area and move away from businesses
https://www.stripdistrictneighbors.org/history/
https://www.tarasa.com/blog/pittsburghs-strip-district-guide/
Wayfinding Ideas
balance out colorfulness + variety of strip
needs consistency
want signage to stick out but not take away from the current aesthetic
needs big map?
special about strip: the mix of cultures
- how can I incorporate mix of cultures while also making something simple and easy to understand?
- gateway sign? does it need it though?
Inspo
Thinking About Implementation
main signage should be on penn ave and smallman street
- smallman: the terminal, church, etc.
- penn ave: yinzer shop, chocolate place, candy shop, etc.
secondary mapping system needed on intersection streets
- 18th street, 19th street, 21st street, etc.
Designing Signs
branding:
logotype/ gateway sign:
interpretive sign:
interactive map:
sidewalk directional signs:
side street directional signs:
to do next:
- think about scale/ add people in next iteration
- how far off from the road something is
- at least 8ft tall so people don’t hit their heads
- explore multiple cases of the logotype applied — maybe do church as well? would be an interesting study
- interactive map sign — start with you are here scaled to the parti map, then tap “you are here” which will take you to “3min away…4min away” walking distance sign
- think about chiseling the edges of some signs to match the typeface
Scale Testing + Refinement Round 1
feedback from printouts:
- not convinced about the S that fade into the arrow
- would work for pedestrian but not vehicular
- maybe add icons to separate shops from restaurants
- maybe arrow can be moved
- - make arrow yellow on floor
- make icons could go on floor graphic
- make it more grid like and together - Images need captions and maybe add more
- -too exaggerated for a slice/ slant
- - fix L in terminal
Refinement Round 2
Finals
