UC Davis Arboretum Signage System by Christian Bergstrom

Christian Bergstrom Minh Nguyen Simon Peng

UC Davis Arboretum California Native Plant GATEway Garden Environmental Graphics

Project Summary This project involves the designing of environmental graphics for the UC Davis Arboretum California Native Plants Garden. As part of the GATEway project to create a more welcoming entrance to the Arboretum, a system of environmental graphics need to be created to navigate through the native garden and into the Arboretum. The system must consist of at least 7 sign types: Main Identification Sign Orientation Sign Directional Sign Interpretive Sign Information Sign Celebratory Sign Regulatory Sign

The signs system must be consistent with one another and physically possible to create. The challenge of this project will be to design sign types for a space that has yet to be built. Through research and trial and error, we attempted to design signage that would convey the information while maintaining the ambience of a garden.

Table of Contents 3

Site Photos

Inspiration and Research

Typography

Color Palette

Material Palette

Pictogram and Icons

Sign Placement and Locations

Initial Design and Concept

Sign Vocabulary

Main Identification

Orientation

Directional

Regulatory

Information

Interpretive

Celebratory

Conclusion

Site Photos Photos from the site of the proposed native garden and complimentary sigange.

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

Page Title: Color Choices Page Number: 3

Inspiration & Research The theme for this project developed through exploring many variations of existing signage while discovering the direct and indirect functions of incorporating wayfinding into the environment of the California Native Plant GATEway Garden. The direct functions of providing direction, organization, identification, and regulation influenced our decisions on typography, size and scale, and orientation. The indirect functions of providing a welcoming ambience, a naturally-fitting experience while distinguishing the signage enough from the native garden to be noticeable, and redesigning the system to be simple, sculptural, and organic during the day and inviting, illuminating, and unforgettable at night.

We found inspiration in transparent and translucent glass and the way they played with light and allowed certain aspects of the environment to filter through some to remain obscured. We drew form from the sculptural works of Ellsworth Kelly and Richard Serra, from thin-film photo voltaic cells to power lighting, and from the landscape paintings that depict agriculture in beauty and simplicity

Page Title: Color Choices Page Number: 4

Typography The typefaces best suited for the California Native Plant GATEway Garden begins with Frutiger as the sans-serif typeface, as it is an open and inviting font that is incredibly legible, even at long distances. Frutiger will be the typeface of choice for most of the signage, and will be set at Frutiger 57 Condensed, to be very readable and yet to take up less width of the sign so it can be expanded in overall point size.

The serif typeface of choice has been narrowed down to Adobe Caslon as it has thick strokes that makes it legible at further distances and allows it to be easily read when etched on glass. Adobe Caslon Bold, and Semibold are two options as they both have thick strokes, and Adobe Caslon Semibold Italics has an elegant charm that would perfectly fit as a subheading.

Frutiger 57 Condensed

Adobe Caslon Pro Bold

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890

California Native Plant GATEway Garden

DONOR RECOGNITION Timothy McNeil

Frutiger 57 Bold Condensed

Adobe Caslon Pro Semibold

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890

California Native Plant GATEway Garden

DONOR RECOGNITION Timothy McNeil

Adobe Caslon Pro Semibold

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 Timothy McNeil Professor, UC Davis, Donor

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 5

Color Palette This color palette has been hand-selected by systematically choosing five colors from a series of photos that best showcased the range of plant life nurtured in the arboretum, and from native plants of the local area.

The color palette below would provide a flexible color system for signage as well as print and web design and would provide a consistent marketing graphic standard for the native garden and the arboretum.

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng

PANTONE

CMYK

PMS 203C 0, 35, 5, 0

PMS 7438C

PMS 425C

16, 34, 5, 0

63, 53, 53, 25

PMS 7492C 16, 7, 51, 0

PMS 266C

PMS 445C

78, 89, 0, 0

69, 43, 64, 25

PMS 5767C 48, 21, 78, 2

PMS 432C

PMS 556C

75, 69, 44, 31

54, 20, 55, 1

PMS 179C 1, 75, 99, 0

PMS 447C

PMS 519C

70, 45, 80, 38

54, 95, 39, 27

PMS 7406C 0, 20, 100, 0

PMS 5807C 7, 0, 17, 0

PMS 7442C

PMS 380C 14, 0, 68, 0

PMS 196C

PMS 874C

0, 22, 2, 0

25, 31, 66, 1

PMS 618C 31, 21, 100, 0

PMS 185C

PMS 448C

0, 91, 65, 0

60, 49, 100, 40

PMS 366C 20, 0, 50, 0

PMS 506C

PMS 545C

27, 100, 99, 27

22, 1, 3, 0

PMS 375C 36, 0, 76, 0

PMS 696C

PMS 618C

21, 75, 60, 5

33, 18, 88, 0

PMS 5487C 71, 35, 47, 8

PMS 376C

PMS 574C

41, 1, 100, 0

70, 41, 99, 33

PMS 7418C 6, 66, 76, 0

PMS 645C

PMS 4515C

64, 33, 3, 0

26, 20, 76, 0

PMS 472C 5, 33, 53, 0

PMS 7495C

PMS 490C

50, 25, 99, 4

61, 26, 49, 8

PMS Black 6C 55, 72, 75, 76

PMS 873C

PMS 4505C

35, 29, 69, 2

29, 37, 93, 4

PMS Black 2C 65, 51, 97, 52

PMS 7524C

PMS 476C

26, 61, 83, 11

46, 69, 90, 60

PMS 401C 21, 18, 32, 0

PMS 618C

PMS 4675C

24, 29, 100, 1

4, 16, 20, 0

48, 65, 12, 0

environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 6

Materials Palette

Pictograms & Symbols

With the map of the whole arboretum we intend to show the context of the California Native Garden to the whole system that is already in place. The Native Garden will include several different sign types. The map generated below shows our proposed location for the main identification signs, orientation sign, regulatory signs, navigational sign, celebratory signs and interpretive sign.

We developed the following pictograms and symbols to be both simple and yet share the curvature and friendly, playful characteristics of our sign system. The pictograms and symbols would utilize one pantone spot color, with certain signs including some illustrations in a tint of that pantone spot color.

Unisex

Dogs on Leash

No Biking

Brushed Aluminum (black)

Glass (Tempered)

Glass Fastener/Bolts

Frosted Glass (Tempered)

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 7

Sign Placement and Locations With the map of the whole arboretum we intend to show the context of the California Native Garden to the whole system that is already in place. The Native Garden will include several different sign types. The map generated below shows our proposed location for the main identification signs, orientation sign, regulatory signs, navigational sign, celebratory signs and interpretive sign.

Visitor Map

Downtown Davis

North First St. Coast Collection

Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA

A St.

East Asian Collection

Drinking Fountain Desert Collection

Public Restrooms

Warren G. Roberts Redbud Collection

Street Names

Eric E. Conn Acacia Grove

d Dr. Garro

Australian Collection

NAVIGATIONAL SIGN

Buehler Alumni Visitor Center Mondavi Performing Arts Center

Old

Teaching Nursery

Mrak Hall

Arboretum HQ

Putah Creek Lodge Dr.

La Rue Rd.

South American Collection

Wyatt Deck

California Ave.

Southwest U.S.A./ Mexican Collection

Ruth Risdon Storer Garden

Vet Med Center

environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com

Arboretum Terrace Garden and Lois Crowe Patio

Visitor Parking

Peter J. Shields Oak Grove

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng

is R Dav

MAIN IDENTIFICATION SIGN

REGULATORY SIGN NO BIKING | ETC T. Elliot Weier Redwood Grove

ORIENTATION SIGN NATIVE GARDEN MAP

Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

Putah Creek Lodge Boathouse

Mary Wattis Brown Garden of California Native Plants

Conifer Collection

I-80 Mediterranean Collection

INTREPETIVE SIGN

California Foothill Collection

PLANT INDENTIFICATION

Carolee Shields White Flower Garden and Gazebo

CELEBRATORY SIGN DONOR RECOGNITION

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 8

Initial Design and Concepts For the initial concept, we were influenced by sculptures by Richard Serra and Kell Olsworth. The concept involved using glass layers and the idea of ground and sky horizon line.

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng

E OnM C L rden a E G t la W Native P ia

Californ

No Biking

UC Davis Mondav iC Downto enter wn South D avis

Yolo Coun ty

Collection

This colle ct and the ion is from the va San lle among a Franciscan bay y Californian regi an range of on tempera d is home to a ra between the Sa tures. nge of fla cramento ura and fauna th delta at thrives

Mexican Lovegrass

Information Sign Directional

Interpretive Sign

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 9

Sign Vocabulary The following shows our final designs and concepts for all our sign types

UC Davis

UC DAVIS

Arboretum

Art building, Shields Library

DOWNTOWN

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

Shops, Food, and Galleries

MONDAVI CENTER Concerts and Performances

Welcome to the

California Native Garden

Yolo County Collection

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer suscipit tristique dolor, quis congue lorem ornare tempor. Vivamus ac pharetra justo. Maecenas in tortor a libero ornare vulputate ut ut odio. Integer ac nulla neque, non blandit augue. Donec at eros velit, non consectetur mi. Suspendisse tristique porta dui sit amet elementum.

Main Identification

Orientation

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin aliquam feugiat justo, in rhoncus eros mattis vel. Mauris nec risus non leo condimentum eleifend. Nulla non dui nisi, ac tempus orci. Curabitur sit amet lectus libero. Sed vel ante ut magna dictum ornare vitae nec augue.

Directional

Interpretive

Dogs on Leash

Regulatory

Information

Celebratory

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 10

Main Identification

Specifications

The main identification sign will act with the orientation sign as a main entrance to the UC Davis Arboretum as well as the Putah Creek Native Plant Garden. This sign holds the entrance information for the whole of the arboretum while the orientation sign will hold information specific to the Putah Creek Native Plant Garden. The curve at the top will direct viewers to the orientation sign that is directly across the path, both angled toward each other forming a gateway.

A - Frosted Glass B - Glass C - Brushed Aluminum D - Standard Steel Bolts

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com

The sign is made of brushed aluminum, which is inserted into the ground, and a frosted glass back panel and clear glass front panel are both mounted into the aluminum, as shown below. The panels will be held to each other and to the stand by four steel bolts. The black lettering is applied as black vinyl and the white graphic is laser etched onto the clear glass of the front panel.

Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

95° (Width of glass = 3/4”)

=1’-6”

3’-8” B

UC Davis

Arboretum Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

9’-10” 7’-2” 7’-2”

3’-0”

1’-8”

1’-0” 4’-0”

0’-4”

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 11

Actual Size

95° (Width of glass = 3/4”)

=1’-6”

3’-8”

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng

UC Davis

Arboretum Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

9’-10”

environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com

Arboretu 7’-2”

7’-2”

3’-0”

1’-8”

1’-0”

0’-4”

Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA

4’-0”

Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

Lorem ipsum dolor Page Title: Typography Page Number: 12

Orientation Sign

Specifications

The orientation sign holds the information specific to the Putah Creek Native Plant Garden. It contains the heads up map that will allow user to see where they are and the different collections within the garden.

A - Frosted Glass B - Glass C - Brushed Aluminum D - Standard Steel Bolts

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com

Similar to the Identification sign, the sign is made up of three pieces. It consist of a frosted glass back panel, glass front panel, and brush aluminum stand. The panels will be held to each other and to the stand by four steel bolts. The main display text will be laid out on the frosted glass panel while the map and body copy is laid out on the front glass panel. The typography and map will be applied as vinyl pieces.

Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

95°

(Width of glass = 3/4”)

Welcome to the

=1’-6”

3’-8”

California Native Garden Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer suscipit tristique dolor, quis congue lorem ornare tempor. Vivamus ac pharetra justo. Maecenas in tortor a libero ornare vulputate ut ut odio. Integer ac nulla neque, non blandit augue. Donec at eros velit, non consectetur mi. Suspendisse tristique porta dui sit amet elementum.

6’-5”

2’-10” 4’-6” 3’-0”

1’-8”

1’-0”

0’-4” 4’-0” Page Title: Typography Page Number: 13

Directional Sign

Specifications

The directional sign below continues with the transparency motif. It holds the directional information to guide users to the various locations outside the Putah Creek Native Plant Garden.

A - Frosted Glass B - Glass C - Brushed Aluminum D - Standard Steel Bolts

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com

The sign consist of three glass panels and one brushed aluminum stand. The front and back glass pieces will hold the directional information for either side. The frosted piece that divides the two panel will allow users to read both sides without difficulty. The panels will be held to each other and to the stand by 4 steel bolts.

2’-0”

Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA

1’-11” A

UC DAVIS

Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

Art building, Shields Library

DOWNTOWN

Shops, Food, and Galleries

MONDAVI CENTER Concerts and Performances

1’-10” 7’-0” C

5’-4”

3’-0” 1’-8”

1’-0”

0’-4”

2’-4” Page Title: Typography Page Number: 14

Regulatory Sign

Specifications

The regulatory sign is a solid piece of brush aluminum. It has at a slight angle on the top. All graphics will be laid out on the angle area while all the text would be placed on the vertical area. All text and graphics will be engraved and painted white.

A - Frosted Glass B - Glass C - Brushed Aluminum D - Standard Steel Bolts

0’-9” 45° (Width of aluminum = 3/4”)

1’-2”

0’-9” Dogs on Leash

4’-0” C

1’-0” Page Title: Typography Page Number: 15

Information Sign

Specifications

The information sign holds the information for specific plant or grass types. The sign will be placed in front of a plant area that needs identification. The text would be laid out on the top side of the folded leaf.

A - Frosted Glass B - Glass C - Brushed Aluminum D - Standard Steel Bolts

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com

The sign consists of two brushed aluminum pieces with different colors, one black and one green. The green piece will cut in the shape of a leaf and bent to allow text to be placed on top side. The text will be engraved on the leaf and painted white.

Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

1’-0”

45° (Width of aluminum = 3/4”)

0’-6”

2’-6” C

1’-0”

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 16

Interpretive Sign

Specifications

The interpretive sign will be used to identify the various collections of the native garden.

A - Frosted Glass B - Glass C - Brushed Aluminum D - Standard Steel Bolts

It will consist of three pieces with 2 glass panel and an aluminum stand. The back panel will be frosted glass and the front panel will be clear. The front panel will hold all the text. The text will be applied as black vinyl. Both pieces will have a curved top which would be laser cut. They are held to each other and to the stand by 4 steel bolts.

4’-10” B

Yolo County Collection Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin aliquam feugiat justo, in rhoncus eros mattis vel. Mauris nec risus non leo condimentum eleifend. Nulla non dui nisi, ac tempus orci. Curabitur sit amet lectus libero. Sed vel ante ut magna dictum ornare vitae nec augue.

3’-2” 5’-0”

3’-0”

1’-8”

0’-4” 5’-0”

1’-0”

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 17

Celebratory Sign

Specifications

The donor recognition signage would act as our celebratory sign. The sign its self is individual leaf elements that is placed on the back panel of the gazebo structure as seen below. Each piece would be place in pattern similar that shown here.

A - Frosted Glass B - Glass C - Brushed Aluminum D - Standard Steel Bolts

Bergstrom Nguyen Peng environmental signage 5418 Baller Drive Davis, CA 95616 (530) 897-2549 www.bnp-graphics.com hire_me@bnp.com

The sign is a solid piece of brushed aluminum. The names of the donors would be cut from a similar piece aluminum and welded onto each piece. The sign is held onto the gazebo structure by 2” steel bolts, with 1.5” protruding from the back surface.

3/4”

10”

Project: California Native Plant GATEway Garden Address: 500 1st St, Davis, Commons, Davis, CA

1.5” 1/5”

Version: 1.0 Date: 3 . 5 . 2012

1’ 6”

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 18

Conclusion With the conclusion of the project, possible next steps to take with these designs is to incorporate lights. To give the Arboretum and the native garden a more inviting ambience, the light would illuminate the signs in the dark and welcome visitors during the night time. With or without the additions of the light fixture, we believe these designs will work well with the garden as well as its visitors. The signage will attract visitors while still provide clear and useful information

Page Title: Typography Page Number: 19