What this package covers
A complete signage and wayfinding system for the STEM Innovation Centre, from the vehicular approach to the braille on a laboratory door — designed so that it can go to tender before a single space has been named.
In scope
- Exterior building identification and site directional signage
- Vehicular and pedestrian routing from the car park, Engineering, the Quad and campus links
- Interior wayfinding across all five levels and eight blocks
- Tactile and braille room identification to every named space
- Regulatory, fire and laboratory hazard signage
- Named-space and donor recognition architecture
Excluded or provisional
- Butterfly Sanctuary interpretation — confirm ownership
- Multi-Purpose Building internal signage
- Digital display hardware and content management
- Glass manifestation — a provisional sum pending the final glazing schedule
- Statutory fire strategy drawings, issued by others
Basis of design
- Sutherland & Sutherland Revision 02, April 2023 — 37 sheets
- Accommodation schedule, 9,631 m² across 5 levels
- Ghana National Building Regulations LI 1630 (Reg. 75, exit signs)
- Ghana Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715)
- ISO 21542 and ADA Chapter 7 for tactile and visual character specification
- Ashesi University Brand Guidelines, January 2026
Quantities in this proposal are measured from the Revision 02 drawings and are for tender pricing. They are re-measured against construction issue before fabrication.
The building we are signing
| Block | Character | Levels | Principal contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · B · C · D | Corner pavilions, rotated 45° — each a large teaching space plus a 146–162 m² foyer with nooks | A/B/C: LG, G, 1 D: G, 1 | Large Classrooms 1–6 (77 seats), Biochemistry Lab, CSIS Computing Lab, Robot Testing Area, MSc Computer Science Lab, Engineering Lab, Research Labs 01–04 |
| A1 · B1 · C1 · D1 | Linking bars forming a continuous ring around the courtyard | A1/B1: LG, G, 1 C1: G, 1, M D1: G, 1 | Reception, Research & Innovation Collaborative, Anatomy & Physiology Lab, 120-seat classroom, Engineering Programme classrooms, faculty and lecturers’ offices, President’s Office, administration, Main and Upper Library |
| Basement | Beneath Block B only — restricted | B | Mechanical and Electrical Plant Rooms, I.T. Room, Store, water tanks |
Six problems this building sets
The architecture is elegant and, for a first-time visitor, genuinely disorienting. These six conditions drive every decision that follows.
Four pavilions that look identical
Blocks A, B, C and D are the same rotated square with a foyer of near-identical size. Nothing in the architecture tells you which one you are standing in.
No single arrival level
The site falls about 4.2 m. You can enter at Lower Ground (EGL 351) from the car park, at Ground (EGL 355.2) from the Quad and Engineering, and cross to the Multi-Purpose Building higher still.
A Lower Ground that stops halfway
Lower Ground covers Blocks A, A1, B, B1 and C only. Anyone walking the ring at that level meets a dead end at Block C.
Public and restricted uses interleaved
The President’s Office, Conference Room and senior administration sit on the first floor directly above open teaching space, reached through the same corridors.
A courtyard ring with no strong front
Circulation is continuous on Ground and First. That is good for movement and poor for orientation — there is no natural “you have arrived” moment.
Destinations that live outside the building
Drawings reference Engineering, The Hive, the Incubator, the Multi-Purpose Building, the Health Centre and the Quad. Signage has to hand people off to the wider campus.
Orient, direct, confirm — then name
Wayfinding fails when signs are added where there is wall space rather than where people make decisions. The system is built around three moments, in order, with naming deliberately held back to a fourth.
Orient
Every entrance states the building, the level you are entering and the pavilion you are standing in. Because there is no single arrival level, every door has to do the work a main entrance would normally do alone.
Direct
Signs sit where the route branches — pavilion corners, lift lobbies, stair landings, the courtyard ring — and nowhere in between. Maximum five destinations per sign, ordered consistently.
Confirm
Every named space carries a plate readable by sight and by touch, at a consistent position on the latch side of the door, with a room number that never changes even when the name does.
Name
Naming and donor recognition sit on top of a system that already works without them. No sign depends on a name being decided before it can be fabricated.
Three decisions to settle first
Each of these is cheap to decide now and expensive to change once plates are cut. None of them requires a name to be chosen.
Decision 1 — settle the level names
The site falls about 4.2 m across the building, so people arrive on different levels from different directions and each believes they have arrived at the ground floor. Level naming has to be fixed once and used identically on signage, lift call panels and fire plans.
| Level | Code | Datum | Extent and arrival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basement | B | −7200 | Block B only — internal, restricted |
| Lower Ground | LG | −4200 · EGL 351 | Blocks A, A1, B, B1, C — car park walkway |
| Ground | G | ±0000 · EGL 355.2 | All eight blocks — Quad, Engineering, ramps |
| First | 1 | +4200 · EGL 359.4 | All eight blocks — Multi-Purpose Building link |
| Mezzanine | M | +8400 · EGL 363 | Block C1 only — via the library |
Sign type E4 states the level you are entering and the two or three things reachable without changing level. This is the single highest-value intervention in the building: it costs little and removes most of the confusion caused by the slope.
- Reception
- Large Classrooms 1 and 2
- Research & Innovation Collaborative
- Biochemistry Laboratory
Aluminum plate, 600 × 900 mm, column-mounted at 1400 mm to center. Cap height 30 mm for the level name, 14 mm for the destination list.
Decision 2 — adopt a room numbering convention
A fabricator cannot price or produce door plates without a unique reference per space, and Facilities cannot maintain the system later without one. The number is permanent; the name sitting above it is not.
| Reference | Space as drawn | Level | Block |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIC-LG-C-01 | Biochemistry Laboratory, 64 students, 183 m² | Lower Ground | C |
| SIC-G-C-01 | CSIS Computing Laboratory, 64 students, 183 m² | Ground | C |
| SIC-G-C1-01 | Large Tiered Classroom, 120 students, 257 m² | Ground | C1 |
| SIC-1-B1-01 | President’s Office, 46 m² | First | B1 |
| SIC-1-C1-01 | Main Library, 492 m² | First | C1 |
| SIC-M-C1-01 | Upper Library | Mezzanine | C1 |
Confirm with Facilities and the Registry whether an existing campus convention must be inherited before this is adopted.
Decision 3 — give each pavilion an identity
Four identical rotated pavilions are the building’s hardest wayfinding problem. Each is assigned a letter, a color from the Ashesi palette and — once naming is settled — a name. Color is always a reinforcement, never the only cue.
Rajah
#FBAC49
Black text · 8.62:1 · AAATurquoise
#017597
White text · 5.26:1 · AASky Blue
#85A9D2
Black text · 6.68:1 · AAChocolate
#603913
White text · 10.04:1 · AAAWhite on Sky Blue fails at 2.44:1 and is prohibited. Each accent carries the text color listed above and no other.
Rajah and Chocolate share a warm hue but sit at opposite ends of the lightness scale, as do Sky Blue and Turquoise. The pairs stay distinguishable under the common color vision deficiencies.
Any individual sign uses Ashesi Red, Black and one pavilion accent — exactly the brand limit. The four accents coexist across the system, not within a single plate.
Five sign families, nineteen types
551 signs in total, excluding glass manifestation. Every type is specified to material, size, mounting height and finish — select a family to see the full schedule, or open any type on the floor plans.
Exterior & site
25 unitsEverything read before you are inside the building — identification at the approach, vehicle routing, campus fingerposts and the level statement at each of the ten entrances.
Wayfinding
89 unitsDirectories, directional signs, pavilion identification and level markers. Placed only where a route branches, never where there merely happens to be wall.
Identification
164 unitsEvery named space carries a plate readable by sight and by touch, at a consistent position on the latch side of the door.
Regulatory & safety
217 unitsFire and escape, laboratory hazard and PPE, restricted access, and accessibility information. The largest family, and the one governed by statute.
Naming & recognition
56 unitsNamed-space plates, donor walls, dedication plaques and interpretive graphics — built as inserts so no sign waits on a naming decision.
Full specification, by family
EExterior & site
Building identification
3 unitsBuilding identification at the vehicular approach and the Quad frontage
- Size
- 2400 x 600 mm
- Construction
- 10 mm aluminum letters, individually pinned, powder-coated; halo-lit at the north face
- Mounting
- Wall-fixed on standoffs, 2400 mm to baseline
- Cap height
- 250 mm
Vehicular directional
4 unitsVehicular routing, car park entry, exit and accessible bays
- Size
- 600 x 900 mm
- Construction
- 3 mm marine-grade 5005 aluminum on 76 mm dia. galvanized post
- Mounting
- Post-mounted, face at 1800 mm
- Cap height
- 60 mm
Pedestrian fingerpost
8 unitsPedestrian fingerpost at each campus link — Engineering, The Hive, the Incubator, Multi-Purpose Building, car park, Quad, Health Centre road
- Size
- 1800 x 300 blades on 2600 post
- Construction
- 100 × 50 SHS galvanized post, powder-coated; double-sided aluminum blades
- Mounting
- Concrete foundation, lowest blade 1600 mm
- Cap height
- 60 mm
Entrance and level plate
10 unitsEntrance identification and level statement at every building entrance
- Size
- 600 x 900 mm
- Construction
- 3 mm aluminum, digitally printed, matt anti-graffiti laminate
- Mounting
- Column or wall-fixed, 1400 mm to centre
- Cap height
- 30 mm level / 14 mm list
WWayfinding
Floor directory
14 unitsFloor directory and orientation board at each vertical core and at reception
- Size
- 900 x 1200 mm
- Construction
- 3 mm aluminum tray, 25 mm return, printed face with matt laminate; changeable center panel
- Mounting
- Wall-fixed, centre 1500 mm; lowest line 900 mm
- Cap height
- 40 mm head / 16 mm list
Directional
34 unitsDirectional at corridor junctions, pavilion corners and lift lobbies
- Size
- Wall 600 x 200 / suspended 900 x 250
- Construction
- 3 mm aluminum, double-sided where suspended, powder-coated edges
- Mounting
- Wall 1400-2100 mm; suspended 2300 mm clear
- Cap height
- 30 mm
Pavilion identification
15 unitsPavilion identification in every foyer and on each courtyard-facing elevation
- Size
- Interior 450 x 450 / courtyard 900 x 900
- Construction
- Aluminum panel in pavilion accent with applied letter; courtyard units in cut aluminum
- Mounting
- Wall or column, 2200 mm interior / 3500 mm courtyard
- Cap height
- 125 / 250 mm
Core and level marker
26 unitsLevel marker at every stair and lift landing
- Size
- 300 x 300 mm
- Construction
- 3 mm aluminum with tactile numeral and braille at the landing side
- Mounting
- Facing landing at 1500 mm; tactile 1200-1500 mm
- Cap height
- 75 mm visual / 16 mm tactile
IIdentification
Room plate, tactile and braille
128 unitsRoom identification at every named space, readable by sight and by touch
- Size
- 200 x 300 mm
- Construction
- 5 mm acrylic or 3 mm aluminum composite, matt face, maximum 20% gloss; Grade 2 braille, domed cells 1.5 mm dia.
- Mounting
- Latch side, tactile baseline 1200-1500 mm
- Cap height
- 20 mm number / 25 mm name
Zone and open-plan identification
14 unitsZone and open-plan identification where a space has no single door
- Size
- 400 x 150 mm
- Construction
- 5 mm acrylic or 3 mm aluminum composite, matt face, wall or suspended
- Mounting
- Wall or suspended, 2000 mm
- Cap height
- 30 mm
Nook, pod and interactive
22 unitsNook, pod and interactive-space identification in foyers and the courtyard
- Size
- 150 x 150 mm
- Construction
- 5 mm acrylic or 3 mm aluminum composite, wall or furniture-mounted
- Mounting
- Wall or furniture-mounted, 1400 mm
- Cap height
- 16 mm
RRegulatory & safety
Fire and escape
120 unitsEscape route directional at maximum 15 m centers, final exit identification, fire action notices, extinguisher and hose reel identification, assembly point
- Size
- Per ISO 7010 / ISO 16069
- Construction
- Photoluminescent rigid PVC, Class C, for route marking; maintained LED luminaires at final exits, 3-hour duration
- Mounting
- Above door 2000 mm; route signs at max 15 m centers
- Cap height
- Per viewing distance
- Standard
- LI 1630 Reg. 75 · ISO 7010 graphical symbols · ISO 16069 for low-level way-guidance
Laboratory hazard and PPE
45 unitsLaboratory hazard identification, mandatory PPE, emergency shower and eyewash location, out-of-hours working restriction, waste segregation
- Size
- 300 x 400 mm
- Construction
- 3 mm aluminum or 5 mm acrylic, chemical-resistant printed face, wipe-clean
- Mounting
- Beside door, 1500 mm to centre
- Cap height
- 16 mm
- Standard
- ISO 7010 · GHS pictograms where chemicals are stored
Restricted access and plant
32 unitsAuthorized access only at plant, server, water tank, store, attic and janitor spaces; statutory electrical notices
- Size
- 200 x 300 mm
- Construction
- 3 mm aluminum, mechanically fixed, tamper-resistant
- Mounting
- On door leaf, 1500 mm
- Cap height
- 16 mm
- Standard
- ISO 7010 · Ghana Energy Commission wiring notice requirements
Accessibility and assistance
20 unitsAccessible route marking, accessible WC identification, emergency assistance alarm instructions, evacuation refuge information at lift lobbies
- Size
- 200 x 300 mm
- Construction
- 3 mm aluminum with tactile symbol and braille where door-mounted
- Mounting
- Latch side, tactile 1200-1500 mm
- Cap height
- 16 mm
- Standard
- Act 715 · ISO 21542 · ISO 7010
NNaming & recognition
Named-space plate (carrier + insert)
40 unitsNamed-space plate at any of the 40 nameable spaces. Carrier installed with the main contract; insert produced on confirmation of the gift
- Size
- 200 x 300 mm insert
- Construction
- Insert to the I1 carrier — no separate substrate, no additional fixing
- Mounting
- Integral with I1 carrier
- Cap height
- 25 mm
Donor recognition wall
2 unitsDonor recognition wall. Primary at the Lower Ground Reception in Block A1, the first interior most visitors see; secondary in the Main Library, Block C1
- Size
- Modular, 2400 x 1200 mm nominal
- Construction
- Modular panels on a fixed rail, so contributors are added without refabricating the wall
- Mounting
- Fixed rail, panels added over time
- Cap height
- Varies
Dedication plaque
2 unitsDedication plaque at the building entrance, Quad frontage, Block C1
- Size
- 400 x 600 mm
- Construction
- Cast or etched, permanent, single-issue
- Mounting
- Wall-fixed at 1500 mm
- Cap height
- 20 mm
Interpretive graphic
12 unitsInterpretive and story graphics — the work of the center, the people in it, and the sanctuary’s ecology
- Size
- 1200 x 800 mm
- Construction
- Printed panel, wall-fixed or freestanding; the Ashesi pattern may appear as an accent, never under type
- Mounting
- Wall or freestanding
- Cap height
- Varies
The room plate, in detail
The I1 room plate is the most numerous single type in the building at 128 units, and the one every occupant touches. Its anatomy is fixed; only the insert changes.
Laboratory
- Pavilion accent band, 42 mm — color identifies the block
- Room number in Ashesi Red, permanent, 20 mm cap height
- Space name, 25 mm cap height, on a changeable insert
- Grade 2 braille, domed 1.5 mm dia., baseline 1200–1500 mm
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type & size | I1 room plate 200 × 300 mm · I2 zone panel 400 × 150 mm · I3 nook and pod plate 150 × 150 mm |
| Substrate | 5 mm acrylic or 3 mm aluminum composite, matt face, maximum 20% gloss to eliminate glare |
| Tactile characters | Raised 0.8 mm minimum, radiused profile, sans-serif upper and lower case, 16 mm cap height minimum |
| Braille | Grade 2 English, domed cells 1.5 mm diameter, 0.6–0.9 mm height, Marburg Medium spacing, positioned below the tactile text |
| Mounting height | Tactile baseline 1200–1500 mm above finished floor level |
| Mounting position | Latch side of the door, 50–100 mm clear of the architrave. Where there is no clear wall, on the nearest adjacent wall on the latch side |
| Double doors | Single active leaf — plate on the inactive leaf. Both leaves active — plate to the right of the opening |
| Contrast | Minimum 4.5:1 character to background and 3:1 plate to wall. Black on Beige at 13.15:1 is the standard combination |
| Fixing | Concealed adhesive pad plus two stainless mechanical fixings; insert removable without disturbing the carrier |
| Quantity | I1 128 · I2 14 · I3 22 — 164 units total |
Where the signs go, level by level
Every one of the 551 signs is positioned on the drawings. Open the interactive floor plans to see them in place, or read the level-by-level intent below.
Open the interactive floor plans All 551 signs, positioned on the Revision 02 drawings. Filter by family or type, and click any marker for its specification.Exterior and site
North — vehicular arrival
- E1 building identification on the north face, halo-lit, read from the access road at ~50 m
- E2 at the car park entry and exit, with accessible bay marking
- E3 at both walkway heads leading south from the car park to Blocks A1 and B
- E4 at the Lower Ground entrances to Blocks A, A1, B and B1
West — Engineering link
- E3 fingerpost at the existing Engineering forecourt, facing both ways
- E4 at the Block D1 and Block D Ground entrances
- Reciprocal blade on the Engineering side so the route reads in both directions
South — the Quad
- E1 building identification on the Block C1 Quad frontage, unlit
- E3 at the head of the covered walkway to The Hive
- E3 at the steps to the Incubator, Block C
- E4 at the Block C1 covered ramp and the Block C and D ramps
- I3 pod identification at the five courtyard pods and the access-controlled lift
East — sanctuary and Multi-Purpose Building
- E3 at the Multi-Purpose Building link and on the Health Centre / Berekuso road
- E4 at the Block B and B1 east entrances
- N4 interpretive panel at the Butterfly Sanctuary edge — subject to confirming who owns that content
Lower Ground
Level 2 of 5Reached from the car park walkway. Covers Blocks A, A1, B, B1 and C only — the ring is incomplete and the route dead-ends south of Block C.
| Block | Principal spaces | Sign types |
|---|---|---|
| A | Large Classroom 1 · 77 seats · foyer 162 m² | E4W2W3I1R1 |
| A1 | Reception & Waiting Lobby · Meeting Room, 25 seats · Open Plan Office, visiting staff · washrooms | E4W1W2I1I2R1R4 |
| B | Large Classroom 2 · 77 seats · foyer 162 m² | E4W2W3I1R1 |
| B1 | Research & Innovation Collaborative, 276 m² · Cubicles 01–04 · lift and stair core · accessible WC | E4W1W2W4I1I2R1R4 |
| C | Biochemistry Laboratory · 64 seats · two stores | W2W3I1R1R2 |
- The main visitor arrival is here, at the Block A1 Reception. It carries the primary W1 directory and the N2 donor wall.
- Block A1 has no accessible WC on this or any level. W2 and R4 must route to the accessible WC in Block B1.
- South of Block C the level ends. A W2 at the Block C foyer states clearly that Blocks C1, D and D1 are reached via Ground.
Ground
Level 3 of 5The only level present in all eight blocks, and the level most people will think of as the front door. Entered from the Quad, from Engineering and via the ramps at Blocks C, C1 and D.
| Block | Principal spaces | Sign types |
|---|---|---|
| A / A1 | Large Classroom 3 · Open Plan Office, 44 faculty interns · Academic HOD 01 and 02 | E4W1W2W3I1I2R1 |
| B / B1 | Large Classroom 4 · Anatomy & Physiology Lab · Additional Classroom/Lab · lift core | E4W1W2W3W4I1R1R2R4 |
| C | CSIS Computing Laboratory · Robot Testing Area · Server Room · steps to the Incubator | E3E4W2W3I1R1R2R3 |
| C1 | Large Tiered Classroom, 120 seats · Quad frontage · covered walkway to The Hive | E1E3E4W1W2I1R1R4 |
| D / D1 | MSc Computer Science Lab · two Engineering Programme classrooms · Engineering link | E3E4W1W2W3W4I1R1R2R4 |
| Quad | Five pods, 5–11 m² · access-controlled lift · sculptural columns | E3I3R3R4 |
- The courtyard ring is continuous here. W3 pavilion identification on each courtyard elevation is what stops people circling.
- The access-controlled lift in the Quad needs R3 access signage and R4 assistance information at both the Quad and Ground stops.
- Classroom walls carrying the board and projector screen are unavailable for mounting — plates go on the corridor side.
First
Level 4 of 5The densest level for room identification: 61 named spaces, mixing teaching, research, senior administration and the Main Library.
| Block | Principal spaces | Sign types |
|---|---|---|
| A / A1 | Large Classroom 5 · Lecturers’ Open Plan Office, 211 m², with twelve individual offices · lounge | W1W2W3I1I2R1 |
| B / B1 | Large Classroom 6 · President’s Office and Assistant · Waiting Lobby · Conference Room, 25 seats | W1W2W3W4I1R1R4 |
| C | Research Space, 183 m² · Laboratories 01–04 · store | W2W3I1R1R2 |
| C1 | Main Library, 492 m² · e-Library · Librarian’s Office · Interactive Zone, 174 m² | W1W2W4I1I2I3R1R4N1 |
| D / D1 | Engineering Laboratory · Open Plan Office · COO · General Counsel · Chief of Staff · Comms | W1W2W3W4I1I2R1R2R4 |
- Visitors to the President’s Office arrive at Lower Ground reception and travel two levels. That journey needs a continuous, named thread from the front door to the waiting lobby.
- Library signage is its own subsystem spanning First and Mezzanine — collections, quiet zones, bag store and the e-Library.
- Twelve lecturers’ offices in one open-plan suite need I2 zone identification as well as individual I1 plates.
Basement & Mezzanine
Levels 1 and 5 of 5Two restricted or specialized levels at either end of the section. Neither carries general wayfinding; both carry regulatory and access signage.
| Block | Principal spaces | Sign types |
|---|---|---|
| Basement, Block B | Mechanical Plant Room · Electrical Plant Room · I.T. Room · Store, 85 m² · two water tanks | W4I1R1R3 |
| Mezzanine, Block C1 | Upper Library · washrooms · Attic Storage, 270 m² · lift | W1W4I1I2R1R3 |
- The basement is authorized access only. R3 restricted-access signage at every door, with statutory electrical and mechanical plant notices.
- Attic Storage at 270 m² is a significant volume with a single access point — confirm its escape strategy before finalizing R1.
- The Mezzanine is reached only through the library, so its directory is a library directory, not a building one.
Thirteen technical spaces, each with its own hazard set
Hazard signage is specified per space rather than per building, because the sets genuinely differ — a computing laboratory and a biochemistry laboratory share almost nothing.
| Space | Level | Entry hazard panel | Mandatory PPE | Emergency equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry Laboratory, 64 | LG · C | Biological and chemical, GHS pictograms per inventory | Lab coat, eye protection, gloves | Shower, eyewash, spill kit, first aid |
| Anatomy & Physiology Lab, 50 | G · B1 | Biological, specimen handling, no food or drink | Lab coat, gloves | Eyewash, sharps disposal, first aid |
| Additional Classroom / Lab, 50 | G · B1 | To be confirmed once the final use is fixed | To be confirmed | Eyewash, first aid |
| CSIS Computing Laboratory, 64 | G · C | Electrical, at the distribution point only | None | CO₂ extinguisher, first aid |
| Server Room | G · C | Restricted access, electrical, suppression system | None | Suppression notice, isolation point |
| Robot Testing Area, 146 m² | G · C | Moving machinery, entanglement, keep clear in use | Eye protection, closed footwear | Emergency stop, first aid |
| MSc Computer Science Lab, 64 | G · D | Electrical, at the distribution point only | None | CO₂ extinguisher, first aid |
| Engineering Laboratory, 64 | 1 · D | Machinery, noise, hot work, eye hazard | Eye and hearing protection, closed footwear | Emergency stop, extinguisher, eyewash |
| Research Laboratories 01–04 | 1 · C | Changeable insert, set by the principal investigator | Per laboratory | Eyewash, spill kit, first aid |
| Research Space, 183 m² | 1 · C | Laboratory discipline, no lone working out of hours | As posted at each bench | First aid, nearest eyewash |
| Mechanical & Electrical Plant | B · B | Authorized access, electrical, mechanical, confined space | As posted | Isolation points, first aid |
| I.T. Room | B · B | Restricted access, electrical | None | Isolation point |
| Water Tanks, 2 no. | B · B | Confined space, permit to work required | As posted | Isolation and permit board |
Research Laboratories 01–04 use a changeable hazard insert so the panel tracks the work actually being done rather than the work anticipated at design stage. All sets to be confirmed against departmental risk assessments before artwork.
The sustainability strategy specifies motion sensors for lighting throughout. A non-maintained emergency luminaire on a corridor controlled by a passive infrared sensor leaves an unlit escape route the moment the corridor is empty — which is exactly the condition in which an alarm is most likely to go unnoticed. All escape signage is therefore specified as maintained, permanently illuminated at 3-hour duration, and supplemented with photoluminescent low-level way-guidance to ISO 16069 along the courtyard ring on Ground and First. This must be agreed with the electrical engineer before the M&E package is frozen.
Designing for names that do not exist yet
Naming and donor recognition have not been decided, and will keep evolving after the building opens. Rather than delay the package or commit to names that may change, every sign that could ever carry a name is built in two layers.
Layer 1 — the carrier
- Room number, permanently applied
- Pavilion accent band and block letter
- Braille and tactile characters for the number
- A machined slot sized for the insert
Layer 2 — the insert
- Space name and any donor attribution
- Braille and tactile characters for the name
- Removable and replaceable in under a minute, without tools that damage the carrier
- Ships in a generic descriptive version at handover — “Biochemistry Laboratory” — so nothing is blank on day one
What this buys the university
The tender can proceed now
Nothing in the package waits on a naming decision. Carriers are priced and fabricated against a fixed, complete schedule.
A name change costs an insert
Not a sign. The difference is roughly one order of magnitude per unit, and no wall is redrilled.
Recognition can grow
N1 named-space plates can be added to any of the 40 nameable spaces as gifts are confirmed, over years, without a new procurement.
The building never looks unfinished
Descriptive inserts at handover mean no blank plates and no printed paper taped to doors while decisions are pending.
Recognition — placed with restraint
| Type | Location | Description | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Any of the 40 nameable spaces — seven large classrooms, seven laboratories, the Research & Innovation Collaborative, Main and Upper Library, Interactive Zone, Conference Room, four pavilion foyers, the Quad and five pods | Named-space plate. Carrier installed with the main contract; insert produced on confirmation of the gift | 40 |
| N2 | Primary: Lower Ground Reception, Block A1 — the first interior most visitors see. Secondary: the Main Library, Block C1 | Donor recognition wall. Modular panels on a fixed rail, so contributors are added without refabricating the wall | 2 |
| N3 | Building entrance at the Quad frontage, Block C1 | Dedication plaque. Cast or etched, permanent, single-issue | 2 |
| N4 | Pavilion foyers, the courtyard, the Butterfly Sanctuary edge and the Main Library | Interpretive and story graphics — the work of the center, the people in it, and the sanctuary’s ecology | 12 |
A donor name sits below the room number and the space name, never above.
The tone is warm and specific, naming what the gift makes possible rather than the sum given.
It is reserved for diplomas, certificates and awards. Confirm with University Communications if the dedication plaque is to be an exception.
Governance after handover
- Facilities holds a live sign register keyed to the room numbers, updated whenever an insert changes.
- The signage subcontractor is retained under a call-off order for variations, so inserts stay consistent for years rather than drifting between suppliers.
- Twenty blank inserts held in stock, and a stated policy that no printed paper notice is fixed to a door or wall. Every building loses its signage system this way.
Legibility, accessibility, materials, brand
Legibility — sized from viewing distance
Cap height is calculated, not chosen. Minimum is viewing distance divided by 250; preferred is divided by 200. Every sign in the schedule carries a cap height derived from where it is actually read.
| Read from | Minimum | Specified | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touch, at the door | — | 16 mm | I1 tactile characters, W4 tactile numerals |
| 3 m | 12 mm | 20 mm | I1 room number, W1 directory listings |
| 6 m | 24 mm | 30 mm | W2 directional, E4 level name |
| 12 m | 48 mm | 60 mm | E2, E3 blades, W4 visual level numerals |
| 25 m | 100 mm | 125 mm | W3 pavilion identification, interior |
| 50 m | 200 mm | 250 mm | E1 building identification, W3 courtyard |
- Stroke thickness between 10% and 30% of cap height; character width 55–110% of height
- Upper and lower case for all running text — capitals throughout reduce word-shape recognition and slow reading
- Matt finish throughout, maximum 20% gloss, to eliminate glare from the courtyard and the curtain walling
Poppins is one of the three approved Ashesi typefaces and the only one suited to signage. Garamond Premier’s fine serifs break down at distance and in raised tactile form; Candara’s calligraphic stroke modulation does the same.
Poppins is a geometric sans, so capital I, lowercase l and the numeral 1 are near-identical. Specify the disambiguated alternates, or test a sample plate with the room numbers most affected before bulk fabrication.
Accessibility — beyond the braille plate
The accessible route is not the short route
At Blocks C, C1 and D the accessible approach is the ramp, and in the Quad it is the access-controlled lift. Directional signage marks the accessible route explicitly wherever it diverges from the direct one, and floor directories show it as a distinct line.
Reach and read from a seated position
Floor directories place their lowest readable line at 900 mm and their highest at 1600 mm. Tactile plates sit in the 1200–1500 mm band. Nothing critical is above 1600 mm.
Lifts and refuge
Four cores carry lifts — B1, C1, D1 and the Quad. Each lift lobby needs evacuation refuge information and, where a refuge is provided, two-way communication instructions in tactile and visual form.
Access control needs an alternative
The Quad lift is access-controlled. Its signage must state how someone without a credential obtains assistance, and where the alternative accessible route runs.
Blocks B1, C1 and D1 each provide an accessible WC on the levels they serve. Block A1 — the northern bar containing Reception, the visiting-staff office, the faculty interns’ office and the twelve lecturers’ offices — shows only a female WC, a male WC, a lobby and a janitor’s store on Lower Ground, Ground and First. A visitor arriving at Reception and needing an accessible WC must cross to Block B1. Signage can direct that journey clearly, and will, but the condition is worth confirming as intentional while it is still inexpensive to change.
Materials — specified for Berekuso
| Condition | Consequence | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| High UV, year round | Printed graphics fade and substrates chalk within two to three years if unrated | UV-stable pigment inks with a minimum 10-year outdoor warranty; matt anti-graffiti over-laminate on all printed faces |
| Two rainy seasons, high humidity | Water tracks behind faces and corrodes fixings from inside | Sealed edges throughout, weep provision in tray signs, no untreated mild steel anywhere in the package |
| Harmattan dust, December to February | Horizontal ledges collect abrasive dust that scours faces during cleaning | No upward-facing ledges in any profile; radiused top edges; faces cleanable with water and a soft cloth alone |
| Open, naturally ventilated corridors | Signage nominally interior is exposed to weather across the courtyard ring | All W-series signage specified to full exterior standard, including the ring corridors on Ground and First |
| Coastal-adjacent atmosphere | Standard stainless pits and stains at fixings | A4 grade 316 stainless fixings throughout; concealed where the substrate allows |
| Curtain walling and Low-E glazing to foyers | Large glazed areas leave little solid wall for mounting, and glazed units cannot be drilled | Column-mounted, suspended or freestanding solutions in foyers; applied film only on glass; no penetration of any glazed unit |
3 mm marine-grade 5005 aluminum · polyester powder coat to BS EN 12206-1, matt, maximum 20% gloss on all reading faces, color matched to the Ashesi palette · digitally printed graphics in UV-stable ink · matt anti-graffiti over-laminate · sealed edges · A4 stainless fixings · freestanding units on 100 × 50 SHS galvanized posts set in concrete with 600–700 mm embedment.
Brand — applied, not decorated
Do
- Ashesi Red, Black and one pavilion accent — exactly three colors on any single sign
- Poppins throughout, SemiBold for primary information and Regular for secondary
- The horizontal logo lockup on E1 and E4 only, at 66 mm minimum width in print
- Beige as the standard plate background — 13.15:1 against black text, and warmer than white against the building’s brick and tile
- Plain, specific language: “Biochemistry Laboratory”, not “Bio Lab”
- American English throughout, per the brand standard
Do not
- The Ashesi seal on any sign — it is reserved for diplomas, certificates and awards
- The Ashesi pattern behind text — it may appear as an accent on N2 and N4 recognition pieces only, and never under type
- Departmental lockups without University Communications Office approval, which must be requested before artwork is issued
- More than two typefaces, or any substitute where Poppins is unavailable to the fabricator
- Color as the only means of identifying a pavilion — always paired with the letter and, later, the name
Departmental lockup approval sits on the critical path — it is a University Communications decision, not a fabricator one, and should be requested at the same time the tender is issued.
Coordination, quantities and phasing
Resolve before the tender is frozen
Six items sit with other consultants and become expensive or impossible to fix after their packages close.
| With | Item | Why it cannot wait |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical engineer | Maintained emergency luminaires at all final exits and escape route signs, plus photoluminescent low-level way-guidance on the courtyard ring | Lighting is motion-sensor controlled. Non-maintained fittings leave escape routes dark exactly when they are needed |
| Electrical engineer | External supply, photocell and timeclock to the halo-lit E1 at the north face | There is no other opportunity to run a supply to that elevation once the façade is complete |
| Electrical & IT | Power and structured cabling at high level to the Reception directory and the Main Library directory, whether or not digital displays are installed at handover | Provision costs little now and cannot be added later without opening finished ceilings |
| Structural engineer | Fixing points in corridor soffits for suspended W2 signage on Ground and First | Post-drilling a completed soffit risks reinforcement and voids the finish warranty |
| Architect / façade | Confirmation that no fixings penetrate curtain walling or Low-E units, and the final glazing schedule for manifestation | Manifestation is a regulatory requirement and is currently carried only as a provisional sum |
| Architect / interiors | Wall availability in classrooms and foyers, where boards, projector screens and lockers occupy the mountable surfaces | Every large classroom has a board and screen wall; every foyer has lockers. Plate positions must be agreed against the fit-out drawings |
Quantity schedule for tender
| Set | Type | Description | B | LG | G | 1 | M | Ext. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | E1 | Building identification | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| E2 | Vehicular directional | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | |
| E3 | Pedestrian fingerpost | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 8 | |
| E4 | Entrance and level plate | — | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | 10 | |
| W | W1 | Floor directory | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | 14 |
| W2 | Directional | 1 | 8 | 13 | 12 | — | — | 34 | |
| W3 | Pavilion identification | — | 3 | 6 | 6 | — | — | 15 | |
| W4 | Core and level marker | 2 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 2 | — | 26 | |
| I | I1 | Room plate, tactile and braille | 5 | 21 | 37 | 61 | 4 | — | 128 |
| I2 | Zone and open-plan identification | — | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | 14 | |
| I3 | Nook, pod and interactive | — | 4 | 10 | 8 | — | — | 22 | |
| R | R1 | Fire and escape | 6 | 24 | 44 | 42 | 4 | — | 120 |
| R2 | Laboratory hazard and PPE | 6 | 6 | 18 | 15 | — | — | 45 | |
| R3 | Restricted access and plant | 9 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 2 | — | 32 | |
| R4 | Accessibility and assistance | — | 4 | 8 | 7 | 1 | — | 20 | |
| N | N1 | Named-space plate (carrier + insert) | — | 6 | 16 | 16 | 2 | — | 40 |
| N2 | Donor recognition wall | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | |
| N3 | Dedication plaque | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | |
| N4 | Interpretive graphic | — | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | 12 | |
| Total, excluding glass manifestation | 29 | 102 | 190 | 196 | 19 | 15 | 551 | ||
Glass manifestation is a provisional sum, measured by linear meter once the glazing schedule is issued. Quantities are re-measured against construction-issue drawings before fabrication. This table is generated from the same marker data that drives the floor plans, so the two can never disagree.
Nine queries raised by the drawings
Upper Library area
The Mezzanine plan labels the Upper Library 477 m². The accommodation schedule lists Upper Library and Circulation at 396 m². Which governs?
Accessible WC in Block A1
None shown on Lower Ground, Ground or First, while B1, C1 and D1 each provide one. Confirm whether this is intentional.
Lower Ground extent
Confirm the level does not extend to Blocks C1, D or D1, so the dead-end condition can be signed at the Block C foyer.
Campus destination names
“The Hive” and “the Incubator” appear on the Ground Floor Block C and D plans. Are these the official names for signage?
Adjacent buildings
Are the Multi-Purpose Building and the Butterfly Sanctuary within this signage package, or separately commissioned?
Building name
Will the center itself carry a donor or commemorative name? This governs whether E1 is fabricated now or held to Phase 3.
Level nomenclature
Confirm the names in this proposal will be used identically on lift call panels and statutory fire plans.
Robot Testing Area
Is this a controlled-access space? It determines whether it takes R2 hazard signage alone or R3 access control as well.
Numbering authority
Does Facilities or the Registry own room numbering, and is there an existing campus convention the proposed scheme must inherit?
Phasing and procurement
Before tender
Level names, room numbering and pavilion identity agreed. Sign register issued as a tender document. Departmental lockup approvals requested from University Communications.
With the main contract
All carriers, all regulatory and safety signage, all exterior and wayfinding signage. Room plates carry numbers and descriptive names. The building opens fully signed.
At handover
Sign register handed to Facilities as a live document. Twenty blank inserts held in stock. Signage subcontractor retained under a call-off order.
Rolling
Named-space inserts and donor recognition produced as gifts are confirmed, over years, against the retained call-off. No new procurement, no refabrication.
A single specialist subcontractor
Named or nominated, covering all five families. Splitting the package across suppliers is the fastest way to lose consistency across 551 units.
First-article approval
One prototype of each of the nineteen types approved on site before bulk fabrication, including a tactile plate reviewed by a braille reader.
A sample board
Substrates, powder-coat colors, laminates and print samples approved against the Ashesi palette under daylight, not under studio light.
Five decisions, then this goes to tender
Level nomenclature
Approve Basement, Lower Ground, Ground, First, Mezzanine — and confirm the lift and fire consultants will use the same names.
Room numbering
Approve the SIC-Level-Block-Sequence convention, or supply the existing campus convention it must inherit.
Pavilion identity
Approve the letter-and-color assignment for Blocks A to D, and confirm whether pavilion names will be part of the naming program.
Recognition policy
Confirm which of the 40 nameable spaces are available for naming, and where the primary donor wall sits — Reception or the Library.
Coordination instructions
Issue the six coordination items to the electrical, structural and façade consultants, starting with the maintained emergency lighting.
Once these five are settled, the sign register and specification can be issued as tender documents without waiting on a single naming decision.