Project exploration and analysis report

Pg Dip DVC 15/16 Yin Yu Chen

Unit 4 Project Centred Exploration and Analysis

CONTENTS

06

Research Question

12

Design Area

16

Research Methods

18

Site Analysis

36

Experiments

48

Case Study

54

Audiences

56

Outcomes

58

Plan

60

Appendix

01 Research Question

How can communication design be used to improve the navigational experience for visitors to Borough Market?

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01 Research Question

Research Question Borough Market is London’s oldest and most well-known food market. Traders from all over the country bring a range of fresh produce to the market. It is popular with not only tourists but also locals.

However, as one of the London’s busiest market, Borough Market sometimes is overwhelming because of the crowds. It gets impossibly crowded when it is on Saturdays. Furthermore, the place has a slight maze-like feel.

Therefore, I think Borough Market can benefit from the redesign of the navigation system for visitors.

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01 Research Question

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“If it’s your first time visiting the Borough Market then the choices can be overwhelming.

Set amongst maze-like walkways there is so much to see, buy and most importantly try!”

Victoria Gill, Editor of Luxos.com

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02 Design Area

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Design Area Information design and environmental graphic design will be the main design area.

Environmental Graphic Design (EGD) embraces many design disciplines including graphic, architectural, interior, landscape, and industrial design, all concerned with the visual aspects of wayfinding, communicating identity and information, and shaping the idea of creating experiences that connect people to place.1 For a wayfinding system, it is important to show information to guide people into the right directions. Comprehensive wayfinding systems refer to information systems.

Therefore, I think information design and environmental graphic design are the most appropriate design areas.

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02 Design Area

01

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“Environmental Graphic Design embraces many design disciplines including graphic, architectural, interior, landscape, and industrial design, all concerned with the visual aspects of wayfinding, communicating identity and information, and shaping the idea of creating experiences that connect people to place.�

As mentioned in SEGD.ORG

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03 Research Methods

Research Methods At current stage, my primary research was based on Borough Market, analysing the pros and cons of the environment. Most large environmental graphic design projects begin with research, when the wayfinding team studies a site in detail to identity the populations that inhabit the place, pathways that they follow, any obstacles to good wayfinding, any opportunities that might promote it.2 So my study will focus on what is already in place, how it works and where the problems are.

Furthermore, the wayfinding system is related with typography, icons, colour and material. So I will also explore and experiment the design language to find the right combination of these design elements.

Secondary research also includes studying other cases and analysing how the designers solve the problem. Then I can compare Borough Market with the other locations where the navigation system are comprehensive and practical. Using other perspective from an excellent design may be useful to improve the wayfinding system in Borough Market.

Secondary research relates to looking at books and website. There are various wayshowing aids such as signs, map, and pre-visit information.

Studying the theory is helpful to understand the wayfinding strategies and establish the design goal. A clear and effective strategy will provide the basis for successful signage.3

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02

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Research Methods Site Analysis • • • • • • •

Current Problems Circulation Plan Wayfinding Strategies Identity Traders Map Former Wayfinding System

03 Research Methods

Current Problems Borough Market is divided into several zones by many shops and stalls. There are many pathways and crossroads. When Borough Market is on Saturdays, it is so crowded. Navigating through Borough Market becomes a difficult thing because all the pathways look similar.

Moreover, the current wayfinding system does not work well. Firstly, the directional signs are designed on the green background. It makes it well-hidden in the environments. Also the typeface is not a good choice for signage because the font is not legible enough from a distance. Secondly, using the same design forms for the directional signs and shop signboard makes people feel confused. Thirdly, there are many regulation signs with different style. It make the environment look chaotic. Lastly, there is no enough directional signs. And there is also no Y-A-H map. It is hard to provide direction for visitors without signs and maps.

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03 Research Methods

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Site Analysis

most people do not know about Jubilee Place.

Using the space of Jubilee Place efficiently might be a solution to improve the navigational experience to Borough Market.

Another problem of Borough Market is unequal usage of spaces. There are five zones in Borough Market. On Saturdays, there are numerous visitors coming for food. But there is no enough seats for them. People stand and sit next to the road for eating. It makes the space more crowded. However, the Jubilee Place seems relatively empty. Because of the inefficient signs,

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03 Research Methods

BOROUGH MARKET Bank Gothic Medium Used for the main visual identity of Borough Market

Borough Market Identity Borough Market is a historic place. After so many years development, the identity of Borough Market becomes confused. The inconsistent identity makes the wayfinding system inefficient. Using too many different colours and typefaces cause incoherent signages.

BOROUGH MARKET Avenir Next Condensed Bold Used for the signages and signboards

BOROUGH MARKET Cactus Black Used for the stalls, website and posters

BOROUGH MARKET Futura Medium Used for the visual identity of the Market Hall and two entrances

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03 Research Methods

P

P

i

Conjunctions

Circulation Plan

P

As we can see from these diagrams, there are more than ten entrances in Borough market.

Moreover, the site is divided into many areas by the stalls. It creates many pathways and decision points. People have too many choices when they are in decision points. The Borough market is a maze-like place.

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i

Primary Secondary

Entrances

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Site Analysis

D

Decision Point Primary Route Secondary Route

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03 Research Methods

Wayfinding Strategies The main strategies for tourists are screenig and social navigation. Most tourists go to Borough Market for looking around and finding delicious food. Locals, foodies and traders are more familiar with the surrounding. They use aiming as the strategy more often. These three wayfinding strategies depend on the environment and signs to show the direction to visitors mostly. Therefore, for future wayshowing strategies, I will think about using signs, Y-A-H maps and rearranging the stalls for improving the environment.

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Audiences

Torists Locals Taders

Site Analysis

Wayfinding

Current Wayshowing

Future Wayshowing

Screenig

Environment

Environment

Social Navigation

Signs

Signs

Track Following

Information Centre

Y-A-H Maps

Aiming

Pre-Visit Information

Information Centre Toponomy Pre-Visit Information

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03 Research Methods

Traders There are more than 150 stalls and shops in Borough market. Most shops are located in Middle Road and Three Crown Square while stalls are in Green Market. All the shops and stalls can be classified into seven categories.

Rearranging the stalls by categories is one of the methods to improve the environments.

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Site Analysis

Three Crown Square

Middle Road

Jubilee Place

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2

1

Green Market

The Market Hall Cafe, Bars and Restaurants

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Drinks

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Diary

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Bakery and Confection

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Lunchtime

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Charcuterie

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Spices and Oils

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3

Meat and Poultry

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1

Fruits and Vegetables

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Seafood

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1

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Others

03 Research Methods

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Map Map is an important aid for wayfinding system.

However, the map design of Borough market has many problems. Firstly, there is no You-Are-Here map in Borough Market. For people who get lost, it is difficult to find their way. Secondly, the interactive map on the website does not show the exact position of the stalls. So it is hard for travelers to get pre-visit information. Therefore, the map needs to be redesigned for providing effective wayfiding system for visitors.

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2011

2012

The You-Are Here map had a lovely illustration which reflected the spirit of Borough Market. However, it did not show the direction and position effectively.

The interactive map showed the districts and pathways. It helped visitors find the position easily. But the illustration made the background too complicated.

Site Analysis

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07

2013

2015

Now

The interactive map became more detailed. It provided all information.

However, the illustration still made the background too complicated. And the location of stalls needed to be more precise.

The interactive map only showed the four main districts. Without showing the pathway on map, it is really hard for visitors to find the position of stalls.

Without the illustration on the background, the map became more clear and was easy to read. But it still has same problems as the 2015 map.

It is hard for visitors to find the position of stalls without knowing relative place.

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03 Research Methods

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Former Wayfinding System

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Site Analysis

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The former signages and banners were designed by James Oses. The fresh green and cream illustration reflected the spirit of Borough market successfully. However, the wayfinding system did not work well. First, the victoiran style illustration and typeface are not good choices for signages. Secondly, some signages were placed on the road. It was hard to notice the signs when the market was too crowded.

Finally, the colour and size of the signages made them well-hidden in the environment.

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Research Methods Experiments • • •

Typography Colour Map

03 Research Methods

Borough Market

“Typefaces with a clear distinction between letters, between numbers, and between letters and numbers are better for wayshowing than typefaces with less distinction.�

Per Mollerup Wayshowing > wayfinding: basic and interactive

ough Market Borough Market

Typography

Borough Market

Legibility plays an important role in signage design. It depends on how the typeface interpreted in context, scale, colour, form and material.4 Selecting an appropriate typeface is essential. I try to find a typeface which is not only legible but also identical for Borough Market. There are six typefaces which recommended for wayfinding system by ADA Signs. So I try to test these typefaces firstly.

Borough Market Borough Market

Borough Market

Borough Market 38

Experiments

Borough Market Borough Market

Borough Market

Borough Market

Arial Bold 40pt

Helvetica Bold 40pt

Avenir Heavy 40pt

Lucida Grande Bold 38pt

Borough Market

Myriad Pro Bold 42pt

Borough Market

Trebuchet Bold 42pt

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03 Research Methods

Arial Bold

Helvetica Bold

Myriad Pro Bold

Lucida Grande

Avenir Heavy

Myriad Pro Bold

Trebuchet Bold

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Arial Bold

Experiments

Helvetica Bold

I photoshop the six typefaces in the site to see how they fit the environments. Borough Market is surrounded by different style buildings.There are many entrances in various styles. From this experience, I can see how the different typefaces work in the surroundings.

Lucida Grande

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03 Research Methods

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Experiments

Colours Colour plays several roles in a sign program’s graphic system. Firstly, it can contrast or harmonize with the sign environment. Secondly, it can augment the meaning of sign messages.

Then it also can messages from one another.

Lastly, it can be decorative.5 I try to find the colour palette for Borough Market. I use the photo to analyse the main color of Borough Market. The outcome is green.

Then I use green to create monochromatic, adjacent, triad and tetrad colour palette.

“Colour coding is the first thing that staff are likely to suggest as a solution to setting where wayfinding is acknowledged as a problem” Arthur, P. and Passini,R. Wayfinding: people, signs, and architecture.

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03 Research Methods

41 76 18 24 41 66 31 34 48 59 76 29 86 23 44 60 69 29 31 67 89 79 76 82 11 44

Experiments

Colour contrast is an important element in signage design. Arthur and Passini described a useful calculating method to calculate the contrast difference between two colours. The legibility is assured when contrast differential is 70% or higher. I try to use the formula to calculate value of the tetard colours with other colours. Then I pick some color combinations which value are about 70%. And I photoshop them in the site to see how it works. The background affects signages a lot. The colours which have high contrast with the background work better.

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03 Research Methods

Map Maps provides the best way to give visitors an overview of a public place.6 The map’s graphic language should be appropriate to the information requirements and the characteristics or geography of the setting depicted.7 I use the current map and plan to draw the draft. At first, I try to simplify the road and show every buildings and stalls in the map. Showing the pathways helps people to find their position more efficiently. However, the map 01 is still too complicated. So when I draw the map 02, I also simplify the buildings. The map looks more clear. Then I try to experiment the colours. I use the main colour of Borough Market: green, to add the character for map 03. For map 04, I use colours to differentiate locations and features.

And the map 05 use colours to code zones.

Map 01

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Experiments

Map 02

Map 03

Map 04

Map 05

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Research Methods Case Study • •

Berlin SXF Vancouver Community Library

03 Research Methods

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Case Study

Berlin SXF The wayshowing system at Berlin SXF was designed by Nick Kapica/Andrew Lawrence in 2004. They use the typeface Foundry Sterling which is highly legible. Colours play an important role in signage because their capacity to differentiate. 8 The colour combination of yellow and dark blue has high contrast which making it highly readable.

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03 Research Methods

Vancouver Community Library The wayfinding system of Vancouver Community Library uses the space well. The huge typeface on the ceiling let people can read the signs easily when they in the ground floor. And the dark gray with lime green has high colour contrast. The large x-height sans serif typeface is also good choice for signage system. The whole wayfinding system are highly legibale.

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Case Study

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04 Audiences

Audiences

Visitor numbers to Borough Market have increased every year. Many of the visitors are tourists. In the bustling space, people may “find their way� in the existential sense, but they also become overwhelmed or disoriented if they lose their way.9 This project is trying to help people feel at ease when navigating in the surroundings. Therefore, the target audiences are all visitors to Borough Market.

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05 Outcomes

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Outcomes

The outcome might be various. There are many wayfinding methods. Sign is the most important and flexible wayfinding aid. Map is also a common way showing aid. Effective Placemaking and Identity design can also create a comfortable environment for visitors to navigate through it. Moreover, many visitors can benefit from studying the website to receive the pre-visit information. It can help the travelers to plan their visit.

Therefore, I believe there could be many possible outcomes. It could be as simple as making a pamphlet or an app as a guide through Borough market for visitors, or it could be as complex as designing a whole wayfinding system for Borough market. The final outcome will be base on the further researches and experiments.

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06 Plan

Research and Development February 1 2

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03 Unit 4 Brief

March 1 2 02 Pecha Kucha

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April 1

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18 Unit 4 Proposal Hand-in

Exploring ideas Sourcing research material Refining Ideas Drafting Research Question

Drafting Proposal

Questionnaire Primary Research Secondary Research Vacation Experimentation

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3

May 1

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June 1

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04 Unit 4 Hand-in

and further development Design Unit 4 Unit 4 Production

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08 Unit 5 Hand-in

Experimentation for possible outcome Designing the outcome Evaluation

Final Production

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4

Endnotes

Bibliography

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Segd.org. (2016). What is Environmental Graphic Design (EGD)? | SEGD. [online] Available at: https://segd.org/article/ what-environmental-graphic-design-egd [Accessed 27 Apr. 2016].

Gibson, D. (2009), The wayfinding handbook: information design for public places, Princeton Architectural Press, New York.

Gibson, D. (2009), The wayfinding handbook: information design for public places, Princeton Architectural Press, New York.

Mollerup, P. (2013). Wayshowing > wayfinding: basic and interactive.

Amsterdam: BIS Publishers.

Arthur, P. and Passini, R. (2002). Wayfinding: people, signs, and architecture. Oakville, Ont.: Focus Strategic Communications.

Gibson, D. (2009), The wayfinding handbook: information design for public places, Princeton Architectural Press, New York.

Gibson, D. (2009), The wayfinding handbook: information design for public places, Princeton Architectural Press, New York.

Mollerup, P. (2013). Wayshowing > wayfinding: basic and interactive.

Amsterdam: BIS Publishers.

Mollerup, P. (2013). Wayshowing > wayfinding: basic and interactive.

Amsterdam: BIS Publishers.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

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Arthur, P. and Passini, R. (2002). Wayfinding: people, signs, and architecture. Oakville, Ont.: Focus Strategic Communications.

Gibson, D. (2009), The wayfinding handbook: information design for public places, Princeton Architectural Press, New York.

Berger, C. (2005). Wayfinding: designing and implementing graphic navigational systems. Crans-Près-CÊligny: RotoVision.

Calori, C. (2007). Signage and wayfinding design: a complete guide to creating environmental graphic design systems.

Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.

Fawcett-Tang, R. and Owen, W. (2002).

Mapping. Mies, Switzerland: RotoVision.

Hodson, A.J. (2015), Wayfinding design in the public environment, Images Publishing Group, Mulgrave.

Mollerup, P. (2013), Wayshowing > wayfinding: basic and interactive, BIS Publishers, Amsterdam.

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18. http://imagistlondon.com/images/osm_ box3.jpg 19. https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance. net/project_modules/hd/ ca390813580633.562757faad044.jpg 20. https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance. net/project_modules/ hd/8d864c13580633.562758bfced4e.jpg 21. https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance. net/project_modules/ hd/81303e13580633.562759a62372a.jpg 22. http://media.oregonlive.com/clark_county/ photo/9801250-large.jpg 23. http://chatterbox.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83 41c86d053ef014e89985323970d-450wi 24. https://segd.org/sites/default/files/styles/ galleryformatter_slide/public/Vancouver_ library_shelves.jpg?itok=iqTD2uw2 25. https://segd.org/sites/default/files/styles/ galleryformatter_slide/public/Vancouver_ library_entry_835.jpg?itok=cAKB4Z-i 26. http://walksteps.org/wp-content/ uploads/2012/10/Case-Study-London.jpg 27. http://www.boltonsign.co.uk/ files/2413/7657/7605/national_media_ museum1.jpg 28. https://segd.org/sites/default/files/ styles/galleryformatter_slide/public/08powerhouse-museum-merit-2008-awardgdap.jpg?itok=s7DHjwH6 29. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YfZbqjCm4To/ S3rxsqmnGOI/AAAAAAAAAZI/ oqxHhU189vI/s320/level-5.jpg 30. https://lisabedelle.files.wordpress. com/2012/02/westfield_stratford-018.jpg Other photos was taken by Yin Yu Chen

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48 pages Size: 21X21 cm Typeface: Avenir Paper: GF. Smith Colorplan Bright White 135 gsm Printing and Finishing: Digital printed in London College of Communication.

Elephant and Castle, London.

Design: Yin-Yu Chen

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