This collaboration, led by the Cooperative Research Center (CRC) for Construction Innovation, provides significant value not only to the industry, but also to society in general. Wayfinding design guidelines prepared by Ron Apelt, John Crawford and Dennis Hogan are based on the findings of the Cooperative Research Center (CRC) for Construction Innovation project documented in the Wayfinding in the Built Environment research report.
About the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation
Defi nition of terms
The use of luminance contrast is very useful in helping people with visual impairments locate important aspects. NOMAD NOMAD is an audio-tactile tool (interface) for using and managing spatially distributed information by people who are blind or visually impaired.
Inclusive design and environmental access
In general terms, wayfinding is the ability to: know where you are, where you are going and how best to get there; recognize when you have reached your destination; and find your way. Wayfinding elements, combined with wayfinding design, provide a successful wayfinding system that caters to all users (CIDEA, 2001).
1 Wayfi nding
Any visual wayfinding system is more than just signs - it includes architecture, landscape architecture, lighting and landmarks and. These architectural wayfinding elements and graphic street elements, together with the criteria for the design and organization of the landscape, urban amenities and buildings are largely responsible for a lot of readability.
Principles of Universal Design
- Flexibility in use
- Simple and intuitive use
- Perceptible information
- Tolerance for error
- Low physical effort
- Size and space for approach and use
Using the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills or current concentration level. The design effectively communicates necessary information to the user, regardless of the environmental conditions or the user's sensory capabilities.
Wayfi nding maps
Any naming protocol must be flexible enough to adapt to changing functions in a building or in a landscape or public space. Use a sequential, logical, rational, and consistent naming protocol for places like hospitals or educational institutions where buildings have been master-planned and organized into a logical arrangement.
2 Wayfi nding design principles
Annex C contains a matrix of devices, systems and technologies that provide useful on-demand navigational information and aids to people who are blind or visually impaired, describing the environment and helping them plan to reach their destinations. The assistive devices in Table 1 are currently available for people who are blind or visually impaired.
3 Wayfi nding devices, systems and technologies
The purpose of these design guidelines is to help developers, designers, owners and property managers identify practical and cost-effective solutions to assist people who are blind or visually impaired and other people who require mobility assistance. These guidelines do not recommend prescriptive design standards; instead they provide universal design solutions and strategies that extend and improve the usability of buildings and places for everyone, including people who are blind or visually impaired or people who are.
Communicating spatial information
These proposed design solutions and strategies include wayfinding design criteria and design principles for critical decision points within the built environment.
Issue: informative material
Issue: arrival point or address of the facility or building
Issue: unidentifi ed main entry or arrival point
4 Design solutions and strategies
These proposed design solutions and strategies include wayfinding design criteria and design principles for critical decision points in the built environment. solutions and strategies supplement all requirements in Australia's Building Code for wayfinding. the foyer of the building'; 'Information counter three meters ahead'; or 'Lift three meters forward, then turn right'. The universal access route shall be clearly marked by surface level markers at a nominal distance determined by the context and design of the site, with at least two surface level markers at each end of the access route marking it as a "universal access route". Discrete surface level markers include e.g. 75 mm diameter brass inscribed plates or ceramic plates laid on the pavement surface.
As a guideline, an external universal access route should have an optimal minimum vertical and horizontal clearance of 2000mm. These measures help people who are blind or visually impaired and can be detected by a person using a long stick. Using contrasting edges (brightness and texture) of paths, hallways and rooms can help people who are blind or visually impaired maintain a straight line of travel.
Ensure that accessible parking spaces are provided close to the main entrance to buildings and are adjacent to a universal access road.
Issue: internal arrival point
Issue: graphic communication
Issue: restrooms and toilet facilities
Issue: lifts
Issue: signage
Issue: viewing distance to signage
5 Signage hierarchical structure
Sign legibility
System design criteria
Types of signs
Identifi cation signs
Information signs
Directional signs
Safety, regulatory, prohibition and advisory signs
This sign was developed in 2006 as part of the Millennium Arts at the Cultural Center project, an initiative of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. The Millennium Arts project at the Cultural Center included the construction of the new GoMA, the renovation of the State Library. Architects: Architectus Sydney (Kerry and Lindsay Clare, 2002) were the design directors of the winning entry in the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art International Competition.
This sign acts as a recognizable landmark (marker) within the streetscape, marking one of the entrances to Brisbane Square and the community assets of the Brisbane City Council Library and the Brisbane City Council User Centre. Planners should take full advantage of the range of environmental guidance features available to minimize inconvenience to other members of the community. If the TGSI is an integrated unit, it must have a minimum luminance contrast of 30% compared to the amount of light reflected from the surface of the adjacent path of travel.
This zone can easily be marked as a universal access route, reminding users of the importance of having a clear space along the entire length of the travel path.
Recommended reading
Based on the Signage Policy for Canberra Urban Parks and Places, prepared by Minale Tattersfield Bryce & Partners (July 2001) with technical advice from landscape architects Dorrough Britz and Associates. Sign Design Guide, JMU Access Partnership and Sign Design Society, Royal National Institute of the Blind, London. New York: An Office of the Mayor in the City of New York Publication, Center for Inclusive Design and Access to the Environment, School of Architecture and Planning.
Cognitive mapping without vision: Four preliminary studies of spatial learning, Journal of Environmental Psychology 18, p.
6 References
In September 2003, Signcorp Australasia produced an update to the existing UTS Signage Standards manual. policies/Downloads/UTSSignStandards.pdf Golledge, R.G. Cognitive Mapping without Sight: Four Preliminary Studies of Spatial Learning, Journal of Environmental Psychology 18, p. 2001) Notice of Proposed Funding Priorities for Fiscal Years 2001-2003 for Three Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects. ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/index.html http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/. n.d.). Public Rights of Access Advisory Committee (PROWAAC) for Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Committee (Access Committee) Final Report: Listed as “Universal Access Corridor” on page 161 Appendix H Minority Report submitted by Hol'Lynn d 'Lil: What should we call the 'Access Path'.
Technical references
A design guide for using COLOR and CONTRAST to improve the built environment for visually impaired people. Talking Tactile Maps and Ambient Sound Beacons: An Orientation and Mobility Development Tool for Visually Impaired People. Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access, - (also referred to as Universal Design New York) University at Buffalo, The State University of New York.
7 Further reading
The following are Universal Design Principles and Guidelines (1997) as they appear on the website of the Center for Universal Design, Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University. Universal Design: Designing products and environments to be used by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The authors, a working group of architects, product designers, engineers and. Environmental design scholars collaborated to establish the following Universal Design Principles to guide a wide range of design. disciplines including environments, products and communications.
These seven principles can be applied to evaluate existing designs, guide the design process, and educate both designers and consumers about the characteristics of more useful products and environments. The principles of Universal Design are presented here in the following format: name of the principle, intended to be a concise and easy-to-remember statement of the key concept embodied in the principle; definition of the principle, a brief description of the principle's primary guideline for design; and guidelines, a list of the key elements that must be present in a design that complies with the principle. PRINCIPLE THREE: Simple and intuitive use The use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills or current concentration level.
Appendix A
Differentiate elements in ways that can be described (i.e. make it easy to give instructions or directions). PRINCIPLE SIX: Low Physical Effort The design can be used efficiently and comfortably with a minimum of fatigue. Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation and use regardless of the user's body size, posture or mobility.
Note that universal design principles only address universally usable design, while design practice involves more than just considering usability.
Appendix B
Suggested letter height
Wayfi nding systems matrix
Appendix C
Neighbourhood scale
Tactile ground surface
Directional compass
Obstacle locator
Enhanced or specialist cane
Personal Digital
Global Positioning
Talking digital map systems
Tactile map systems
Mobile phones and
Accessible pedestrian
Press and listen signs or
Printed signage (location signs)
Raised tactile and braille
Remote (infrared)
Remote (infrared)
Remote
Moving illuminated
Enhanced location maps
Trail between one location
On-line digital information
Computer directory
Talking lifts See 3.4.6 of
Typically housed in a small kiosk, this computer-based system can provide information and directions to specific locations in the area using a large TV screen. The system can include large screen fonts that assist visually impaired people or can produce audio through kiosk speakers or wirelessly to an individual. It is an improvement on computer guide systems and allows pedestrians to request and receive directions to specific locations for a particular destination or service.
Should provide appropriate information and directions for specific locations in the area, such as bus or train stops, public toilets, theaters, restaurants and even timetables and. Orientation issues must be taken into account in the design to ensure that the user is positioned correctly and aligned with the message being delivered. All screens must be at a suitable height for use by people with visual impairments or people with reduced mobility.
Building precinct scale
Tactile ground surface
Directional compass
Obstacle locator
Enhanced or specialist cane
Personal Digital
Global Positioning
Talking digital map systems
Tactile map systems
Mobile phones and
Accessible pedestrian
Press and listen signs or
Printed signage (location signs)
Raised tactile and braille
Remote (infrared)
Remote (infrared)
Remote
Moving illuminated
Enhanced location maps
Trail across forecourt or
On-line digital information
Computer directory
Talking lifts See 3.4.6 of
Serves as a guide board for the area, but can provide additional information on specific locations upon request. Can be used in local government or commercial infrastructure serving as an unattended information desk.
Building entrance scale
Tactile ground surface
Obstacle locator
Enhanced or specialist cane
Personal Digital
Tactile map systems
Press and listen signs or
Printed signage (location signs)
Raised tactile and braille
Handrail systems
Remote (infrared)
Remote (infrared)
Remote
Moving illuminated
Enhanced location maps
Trail between forecourt
On-line digital information
Computer directory
Inside building scale
Tactile ground surface
Obstacle locator
Enhanced or specialist cane
Personal Digital
Tactile map systems
Mobile phones and
Press and listen signs or
Printed signage (location signs,
Raised tactile and braille
Line-following guides
Directional sound
Handrail system
Remote (infrared)
Remote (infrared)
Remote radio- frequency
Moving illuminated
Enhanced location maps
Trail between building
On-line digital information
Computer directory
Talking lifts See 3.4.6 of
Floor-level scale
Tactile ground surface
Obstacle locator
Enhanced or specialist cane
Personal Digital
Tactile map systems
Mobile phones and
Press and listen signs/
Printed signage (location signs,
Raised tactile and braille
Line-following guides
Directional sound
Handrail systems
Remote (infrared)
Remote (infrared)
Remote
Moving illuminated
Enhanced location maps
Trails between key locations
On-line digital information
Computer directory
Talking lifts See 3.4.6 of
Wayfinding design guidelines
