Ashesi University STEM Center Signage
Floor plans551
Ashesi University · STEM Center, Berekuso

Signage & Wayfinding

Concept design — for direction and approval

551indicative positions
19types, five families
4zones across five levels
9,631m² gross internal area

Design & Functional Brief · measured against Sutherland & Sutherland Revision 02, April 2023 · August 2026

Purpose

What this system is for

The problem is not decorating a building. It is helping a person who does not know where they are understand where they are, where they need to go, and how to get there.

Everything that follows is subordinate to that. The design work runs in a fixed order, and the order matters: spatial diagnosis and numerical checking come before visual design, not after it.

  1. 1
    Read the building

    Understand the plan, the levels, the circulation and the arrival points before proposing anything.

  2. 2
    Diagnose the problems

    Identify where and why a visitor will lose the thread. Six specific conditions in this building drive the whole system.

  3. 3
    Lock the foundations

    Level nomenclature, room numbering and zoning are settled first. Nothing downstream can be drawn until they are.

  4. 4
    Develop the sign system

    Five families, nineteen types, one common language shared by the drawings, the register and the fabricator.

  5. 5
    Verify numerically

    Contrast, cap height, text fit and message load are calculated, not judged by eye.

  6. 6
    Show what changed

    Publish the revisions that verification forced. The audit trail is part of the deliverable.

Stage

This is concept design, issued for direction and approval. Three visual directions are still to be developed (see Next phase). Quantities here are indicative, measured from Revision 02 — final room-sign quantity cannot be established until a complete door and GA package is issued (Q10).

The building

Four zones around a courtyard

Approximately 9,631 m² across five operational levels, in a four-quadrant layout around a central courtyard. Eight architectural blocks are simplified into four visitor-facing zones.

AZONE A

Slate

#2C3846
BlocksA + A1
ForegroundWhite · 11.92:1
Black on Slate ≈ 1.76:1
BZONE B

Rajah

#FBAC49
BlocksB + B1
ForegroundBlack · 11.10:1
White on Rajah ≈ 1.89:1
CZONE C

Turquoise

#017597
BlocksC + C1
ForegroundWhite · 5.26:1
Black on Turquoise ≈ 3.99:1
DZONE D

Chocolate

#603913
BlocksD + D1
ForegroundWhite · 10.04:1
Black on Chocolate ≈ 2.09:1
Blocks stay available underneath

The eight architectural blocks — A, A1, B, B1, C, C1, D, D1 — remain in the register and on the plans. Visitors see only the four zones unless detailed block data is deliberately turned on.

Color is never the only cue

Every zone treatment carries the zone letter, the zone label and the zone color together. Slate and Chocolate sit relatively close in luminance, so hue alone cannot be trusted to separate them.

Zone B needs a boundary

Rajah has insufficient contrast against a white wall to work as an unbounded plate. Zone B signage requires a dark edge, backer or border wherever it meets a very light wall.

The floor plate changes as you go up

This is not an identical stack. The building loses and gains zones with height, so signage logic can never be copied from one level to the next.

LevelArchitectural terminologyExtent
0Level 0 BasementService accommodation only
1Level 1 Lower GroundZones A, B and C
2Level 2 GroundAll four zones
3Level 3 First FloorAll four zones
4Level 4 Mezzanine / Upper Library / Second FloorZone C only — Upper Library

Architectural terminology is recorded for coordination only. It is never shown to end users.

Level 4 exists only in Zone C, as the Upper Library, and is reached through the library rather than from general circulation.

Diagnosis

Six problems this building sets

These are specific to the STEM Center. A generic rectangular-office approach would fail on every one of them.

01

Repeated architecture

Zones A, B, C and D use closely related architectural forms. A visitor can move between them without receiving any strong visual cue that they have changed location. Zone identity therefore has to be unusually strong.

02

Loop circulation

Levels 2 and 3 form circulation loops around the courtyard. A wrong turn still appears plausible, because both directions continue. Orient strongly, sign the decision points, and add nothing in between.

03

Changing floor footprint

The full zone arrangement does not exist on every floor. One level’s signage logic must never be copied onto another.

04

Multiple arrival elevations

The slope lets a visitor enter the building at more than one vertical datum. Every significant entrance must therefore state the level.

05

Cores that do different jobs

Not every stair or lift performs the same function. The Zone C library lift is distinct — it connects the Quad, Main Library and Upper Library sequence. Every core marker states exactly which levels and destinations it serves.

06

Public and restricted overlap

Teaching, laboratories, research, library, senior administration, the President’s Office and technical spaces share the same circulation. Destinations are tagged so signage can distinguish them.

Destinations are tagged PublicAcademicStaffRestrictedServiceHazard-controlled
Wayfinding sequence

Orient → Direct → Confirm → Name

Signs go where decisions happen, not where wall happens to be available. Naming is deliberately held to last.

01

Orient

At thresholds and arrivals

At building thresholds, major entry points, lift arrivals, stair arrivals and major level transitions. Because there is no single arrival level, every entrance does work a main entrance would normally do alone.

02

Direct

Only at decision points

Only where a visitor must make a choice. Straight corridors with no decision get nothing — reassurance signage between decisions is what makes a loop feel like a maze.

03

Confirm

At the destination

Every destination confirms itself, with a permanent room number that does not change when the name does.

04

Name

Last, and reversibly

Honorific and donor naming is added only after the visitor has successfully identified the functional destination. Naming stays subordinate to navigation.

Directional message rules

Do

  • No more than five destinations on any directional sign
  • Keep the order consistent from sign to sign
  • Zone or principal destination, then destination name, then room number if useful, then arrow
  • Normal upper and lowercase — not all-caps running text

Do not

  • Paragraphs or explanatory prose
  • Repeated building names
  • Long lists
  • Redundant destinations
  • Signs in straight corridors where no choice exists
Locked first

Level naming and room numbering

Two conventions have to be fixed before anything can be drawn, priced or fabricated. Neither requires a name to be chosen.

Neutral level numbering

Architectural terminology is not shown to end users. The building sits on a slope, so visitors enter from exterior grade at different architectural floors — neutral numbering prevents someone entering at a higher datum from being confused by a label such as “Ground Floor.” The operational numbering must be used identically on signage, lift call panels and fire plans.

LevelArchitectural terminologyExtent
0Level 0 BasementService accommodation only
1Level 1 Lower GroundZones A, B and C
2Level 2 GroundAll four zones
3Level 3 First FloorAll four zones
4Level 4 Mezzanine / Upper Library / Second FloorZone C only — Upper Library

Architectural terminology is recorded for coordination only. It is never shown to end users.

Room numbering

Ashesi’s existing convention is retained: level, then sequence. The zone is deliberately not encoded into the permanent room number — zone and room number are separate systems doing separate jobs.

2LevelLevel 0 – Level 4
01SequenceA → A1 → B → B1 → C → C1 → D → D1, counting only the blocks present on that level
Example2-01

Zone

  • Spatial orientation
  • Tells a visitor where they are
  • May be restated, recolored or renamed as the building evolves

Room number

  • Permanent estate identifier
  • Survives every naming and zoning change
  • Never re-encoded
ReferenceSpaceLevel
1-01Biochemistry LabLevel 1
2-01CSIS Computing LabLevel 2
3-14Lecturers’ Open Plan OfficeLevel 3
4-03Upper LibraryLevel 4

Sequence runs A → A1 → B → B1 → C → C1 → D → D1 around each level, counting only the blocks present on that level.

STEM CENTER
Level 1
  • Reception
  • Large Classrooms 1 and 2
  • Research & Innovation Collaborative
  • Biochemistry Lab
Levels 2 and 3 ▲ lift and stairs, Zone B
E02 · Entrance and level identification

E02 · 800 × 380 mm, wall-mounted. Cap height 40 mm for the level, assumed 8 m viewing distance.

C
Biochemistry Lab
1-01
⠃⠊⠕⠉⠓⠑⠍
I01 · Standard room identification

360 × 160 mm, wall-mounted on the latch side. Room name in EB Garamond at 12 mm cap; room number in Poppins. The zone cue carries the letter, not the color alone.

  • Zone cue — letter and color together, never color alone
  • Room name, EB Garamond, 12 mm cap, on the replaceable insert
  • Room number, Poppins, permanent on the carrier
The system

Five families, nineteen types

Five persistent families give the design, the drawing references, the sign register and the eventual fabrication schedule one common language.

E

Exterior & Site

3 types · 21 indicative

Read before entering, or when moving between campus destinations.

W

Wayfinding

5 types · 89 indicative

Orients and directs people through the building. Wall-mounted throughout.

I

Identification

3 types · 142 indicative

Read on arrival at a destination.

R

Regulatory & Safety

4 types · 217 indicative

Emergency routes, fire, laboratory hazard, PPE, restricted access and accessibility information. Brand colors never override safety standards.

N

Naming & Recognition

4 types · 56 indicative

Named spaces, donor recognition, dedications and interpretive content. Always subordinate to navigation.

Firm constraint: internal wayfinding is wall-mounted

All internal wayfinding is conceived as architectural wall graphics and wall-mounted panels. Do not develop suspended wayfinding, ceiling-hung directional signs, freestanding interior pylons or projecting corridor blades unless this is specifically enabled later. Wall mounting is the default, and wall condition is part of every sign record.

Wall treatments available

Panel

Fabricated plate mounted flat or slightly proud of the wall.

Layered panel

Neutral structural plate with a zone-color insert or edge.

Color field

Large architectural zone-color field applied directly to the wall, with typography over it.

Oversized typography

Large zone letter or level number applied directly to the wall.

Modular strip

Horizontal or vertical wall-mounted directional modules.

Full specification, by family

EExterior & Site

E01
Building identification
3 indicative

Identifies the building at the vehicular approach and on the pedestrian frontage.

Size
Road ~2.7–3.0 m overall text installation · Pedestrian ~1.4–1.6 m
Mounting
Wall-fixed to the elevation
Read from
30 m (road)
Cap height
150 mm
Show all 3 on the plans →
E02
Entrance + level identification
10 indicative

Names the building and states the level being entered. Every significant entrance carries one, because the slope lets visitors arrive at more than one datum.

Size
800 × 380 mm
Mounting
Wall
Read from
8 m
Cap height
40 mm
Show all 10 on the plans →
E03
Campus directional / handoff
8 indicative

Hands the visitor off to wider campus destinations at each link.

Size
~600 × 110 mm per destination line
Mounting
Wall or post at campus thresholds
Read from
5 m
Cap height
25 mm
Show all 8 on the plans →
E2*
Vehicular directional
4 indicative
Provisional code — no equivalent in the new type list

Rev 02 carried vehicular routing at the car park entry, exit and accessible bays. The new exterior type list has no vehicular type, so these four locations keep a provisional code pending a decision on whether vehicular routing stays in this package.

Size
To be confirmed
Mounting
Post-mounted (Rev 02)
Read from
12 m
Cap height
60 mm (Rev 02)
Show all 4 on the plans →

WWayfinding

W01
Arrival orientation
0 indicative

The first orientation surface inside a threshold — states where you are, which zone, and what is reachable on this level.

Size
~900 × 1200 mm
Mounting
Wall
Read from
3 m (destination copy)
Cap height
15 mm
Show all 0 on the plans →
W02
Directional
34 indicative

Placed only where a visitor must make a decision. Maximum five destinations, consistent order.

Size
1000 × 320–350 mm
Mounting
Wall
Read from
5 m
Cap height
25 mm
Show all 34 on the plans →
W03
Zone gateway
15 indicative

Marks entry into a zone. Carries the zone letter, the zone label and the zone color together — never color alone.

Size
500–600 mm field
Mounting
Wall or applied color field
Read from
8 m (label)
Cap height
40 mm label · 180 mm zone letter
Show all 15 on the plans →
W04
Core / level marker
26 indicative

At every stair and lift landing. States which levels and major destinations that core actually serves — the cores do not all do the same job.

Size
~500 × 700 mm
Mounting
Wall
Read from
6 m (supporting label)
Cap height
30 mm
Show all 26 on the plans →
W05
Floor directory
14 indicative

Full level listing at arrival points and cores. Shows the accessible route as a distinct line.

Size
800 × 1100–1200 mm
Mounting
Wall
Read from
2 m (listing)
Cap height
12 mm
Show all 14 on the plans →

IIdentification

I01
Standard room identification
128 indicative

Room name, permanent room number and zone cue at every enclosed destination.

Size
360 × 160 mm
Mounting
Wall, latch side
Read from
1.5–2 m
Cap height
12 mm
Show all 128 on the plans →
I02
Department / open-plan identification
14 indicative

Identifies departments and open-plan areas that have no single door.

Size
600 × 180 mm
Mounting
Wall
Read from
4 m
Cap height
20 mm
Show all 14 on the plans →
I03
Service-room identification
0 indicative

Plant, store, riser and technical spaces.

Size
260 × 120 mm
Mounting
Wall or door leaf
Read from
1.5 m
Cap height
10 mm
Show all 0 on the plans →
I3*
Nook, pod and interactive
22 indicative
Provisional code — no equivalent in the new type list

Rev 02 identified courtyard pods, foyer nooks and interactive points. The new identification list covers standard rooms, departments and service rooms only, so these twenty-two locations keep a provisional code pending a decision on whether pods are separately identified.

Size
To be confirmed
Mounting
Wall or furniture (Rev 02)
Read from
1.5 m
Cap height
16 mm (Rev 02)
Show all 22 on the plans →

RRegulatory & Safety

R01
Emergency routes & fire
120 indicative

Escape route directional, final exit identification, fire action notices and equipment identification.

Size
Per ISO 7010 / ISO 16069
Mounting
Wall
Read from
Per viewing distance
Cap height
Per standard
Standard
Safety color and geometry system governs — brand colors never override it
Show all 120 on the plans →
R02
Laboratory hazard & PPE
45 indicative

Hazard identification, mandatory PPE, emergency equipment location and out-of-hours restriction.

Size
Per ISO 7010 · GHS pictograms where chemicals are stored
Mounting
Wall, beside door
Read from
1.5–2 m
Cap height
Per standard
Standard
ISO 7010 · GHS
Show all 45 on the plans →
R03
Restricted access
32 indicative

Authorized access only at plant, server, tank, store and technical spaces, with statutory notices.

Size
Per ISO 7010
Mounting
Wall or door leaf
Read from
1.5 m
Cap height
Per standard
Standard
ISO 7010
Show all 32 on the plans →
R04
Accessibility information
20 indicative

Accessible route marking, accessible WC identification, assistance instructions and refuge information.

Size
Per ISO 21542
Mounting
Wall
Read from
1.5–2 m
Cap height
Per standard
Standard
Act 715 · ISO 21542 · ISO 7010
Show all 20 on the plans →

NNaming & Recognition

N01
Named spaces
40 indicative

Replaceable insert to the I01 carrier. Added only after the functional destination reads correctly.

Size
Insert to the I01 carrier
Mounting
Wall — no separate fixing
Read from
1.5–2 m
Cap height
12 mm
Show all 40 on the plans →
N02
Donor recognition
2 indicative

Modular panels on a fixed rail, so contributors are added without refabricating the wall.

Size
Modular
Mounting
Wall
Read from
2–3 m
Cap height
Varies
Show all 2 on the plans →
N03
Dedications
2 indicative

Cast or etched, permanent, single-issue.

Size
Single-issue
Mounting
Wall
Read from
1.5 m
Cap height
Varies
Show all 2 on the plans →
N04
Interpretive content
12 indicative

Story and interpretive graphics — the work of the center and the people in it.

Size
Varies
Mounting
Wall
Read from
1.5–3 m
Cap height
Varies
Show all 12 on the plans →
Verification

Every sign is checked numerically

Cap heights are calculated, not chosen. Text width is measured in the real font, not estimated from character counts. Both rules exist because guessing has already been shown to invalidate a plate size.

Viewing-distance calculator

Minimum cap height is viewing distance ÷ 250. Preferred is ÷ 200. Enter the distance a sign is actually read from:

5.0 m
mm
Minimum20 mmdistance ÷ 250
Preferred25 mmdistance ÷ 200
Proposed25 mm

Current cap-height standards

Sign typeAssumed distanceMinimumPreferredDesign cap
E01 Road building ID30 m 120 mm150 mm150 mm
E02 Entrance ID8 m 32 mm40 mm40 mm
E03 Campus directional5 m 20 mm25 mm25 mm
W01 Destination copy3 m 12 mm15 mm15 mm
W02 Directional5 m 20 mm25 mm25 mm
W03 Zone label8 m 32 mm40 mm40 mm
W03 Zone letterArchitectural 180 mm
W04 Supporting label6 m 24 mm30 mm30 mm
W05 Directory listing2 m 8 mm10 mm12 mm
I01 Room name1.5–2 m 6 mm8 mm12 mm
I02 Department4 m 16 mm20 mm20 mm
I03 Service room1.5 m 6 mm8 mm10 mm

Minimum and preferred columns are computed from the assumed distance, not transcribed. Where the design cap exceeds the preferred value the sign is deliberately generous — zone letters and building identification are read as architecture, not as text.

Text fit, measured in EB Garamond

Character-width approximations are explicitly prohibited — they can invalidate a plate size. These strings were measured at 12 mm cap height in the real typeface, and the longest of them is why the standard room plate grew to 360 mm.

String, set in EB Garamond at 12 mm capMeasured widthFits 360 mm plate
Research & Innovation Collaborative263.7 mm Yes
Engineering Program Classroom249.5 mm Yes
MSc. Computer Science Lab200.1 mm Yes
Lecturers’ Open Plan Office198.3 mm Yes
Anatomy & Physiology Lab197.6 mm Yes
Administrative Offices160.3 mm Yes
Biochemistry Lab124.2 mm Yes

Allowing 10 mm margin each side. “Engineering Program Classroom” was measured on the British spelling; the American spelling is two characters shorter, so the measured width is conservative.

What gets checked

Contrast

Text-to-background ratio and sign-to-wall ratio, against the WCAG minimum and the preferred 7:1 threshold.

Viewing distance

Distance, minimum cap height, preferred cap height and actual cap height, with a pass or warning.

Text fit

Available width against calculated glyph width, and the margin remaining.

Message load

Number of destinations on a directional sign. Maximum five.

Color dependency

Every zone-color cue must also carry a textual zone cue.

Mounting

The location must be a valid, available wall surface.

Environment

Material system compared against the exposure classification.

Audit

What checking changed

Verification is only worth doing if it is allowed to overturn the design. These five revisions were forced by the numbers, not by preference.

Room plate
Assumed~300–320 mm wide
Checking foundThe longest room name needed more space than the assumed plate allowed.
Revised to360 mm wide
Directional sign
Assumed~800 mm wide
Checking foundThe longest destination plus arrow and room reference did not fit comfortably.
Revised to1000 mm wide
Entrance identification
Assumed~600 mm wide
Checking foundThe building name alone required more width.
Revised to800 mm wide
Zone B — Rajah
AssumedRajah plate directly on a white wall
Checking foundInsufficient plate-to-wall contrast; the plate had no readable boundary.
Revised toDark edge, backer or border required
Zone C — Turquoise
AssumedTurquoise as a general background
Checking foundWhite copy passes the minimum but not the preferred 7:1 threshold.
Revised toShort zone information only; detailed text sits on a neutral ground

This audit trail is maintained as the design develops. Any later change to a module, color or cap height records what was assumed, what the check found, and what the design became.

Placement

Where the signs go

Positions below are the Revision 02 measured layout, remapped to the new type codes. They are indicative pending a complete door and GA package.

Open the interactive plans All 551 Revision 02 positions, remapped to the new type codes. Filter by family or type, and select any marker for its specification.
26 markers carry a provisional code

Of 551 Revision 02 positions, 525 remap cleanly to the new type list. The remaining 26 — Vehicular directional (4) and Nook, pod and interactive (22) — have no equivalent in the new taxonomy and are held rather than force-fitted. Two new types, W01 Arrival orientation and I03 Service-room identification, have no Revision 02 positions and are not yet placed.

1

Level 1

Lower Ground · Zones A, B and C

Reached from the car park walkway. The ring is incomplete at this level and the route dead-ends south of Zone C.

ZonePrincipal spacesSign types
ALarge Classroom 1 · 77 seats · foyer 162 m² E02W02W03I01R01
AReception & Waiting Lobby · Meeting Room, 25 seats · Open Plan Office · washrooms E02W05W02I01I02R01R04
BLarge Classroom 2 · 77 seats · foyer 162 m² E02W02W03I01R01
BResearch & Innovation Collaborative, 276 m² · Cubicles 01–04 · lift and stair core · accessible WC E02W05W02W04I01I02R01R04
CBiochemistry Lab · 64 seats · two stores W02W03I01R01R02
Watch points
  • Main visitor arrival is here, in Zone A. It carries the primary W05 directory and the N02 donor wall.
  • Zone A has no accessible WC on this or any level. W02 and R04 must route to the accessible WC in Zone B.
  • South of Zone C the level ends. A W02 at the Zone C foyer states clearly that Zones C1, D and D1 are reached via Level 2.
2

Level 2

Ground · All four zones

The only level present in all four zones, and the one most visitors will treat as the front door. Entered from the Quad, from Engineering and via the ramps.

ZonePrincipal spacesSign types
ALarge Classroom 3 · Open Plan Office, 44 faculty interns · Academic HOD 01 and 02 E02W05W02W03I01I02R01
BLarge Classroom 4 · Anatomy & Physiology Lab · Additional Classroom/Lab · lift core E02W05W02W03W04I01R01R02R04
CCSIS Computing Lab · Robot Testing Area · Server Room · steps to the Incubator E03E02W02W03I01R01R02R03
CLarge Tiered Classroom, 120 seats · Quad frontage · covered walkway to The Hive E01E03E02W05W02I01R01R04
DMSc. Computer Science Lab · two Engineering Program classrooms · Engineering link E03E02W05W02W03W04I01R01R02R04
QuadFive pods, 5–11 m² · access-controlled lift · sculptural columns E03R03R04
Watch points
  • The circulation loop is continuous here. W03 zone gateways on each courtyard elevation are what stop people circling.
  • The access-controlled lift in the Quad needs R03 access signage and R04 assistance information at both stops.
  • Classroom walls carrying the board and projector screen are unavailable for mounting — plates go on the corridor side.
3

Level 3

First Floor · All four zones

The densest level for room identification: 61 named spaces, mixing teaching, research, senior administration and the Main Library.

ZonePrincipal spacesSign types
ALarge Classroom 5 · Lecturers’ Open Plan Office, 211 m², with twelve individual offices · lounge W05W02W03I01I02R01
BLarge Classroom 6 · President’s Office and Assistant · Waiting Lobby · Conference Room, 25 seats W05W02W03W04I01R01R04
CResearch Space, 183 m² · Laboratories 01–04 · store W02W03I01R01R02
CMain Library, 492 m² · e-Library · Librarian’s Office · Interactive Zone, 174 m² W05W02W04I01I02R01R04N01
DEngineering Lab · Open Plan Office · COO · General Counsel · Chief of Staff · Comms W05W02W03W04I01I02R01R02R04
Watch points
  • Visitors to the President’s Office arrive at Level 1 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 Levels 3 and 4 — collections, quiet zones, bag store and the e-Library.
  • Twelve lecturers’ offices in one open-plan suite need I02 department identification as well as individual I01 plates.
0 · 4

Levels 0 and 4

Basement · Mezzanine · Service, and Zone C only

Two restricted or specialized levels at either end of the section. Neither carries general wayfinding; both carry regulatory and access signage.

ZonePrincipal spacesSign types
Level 0Mechanical Plant · Electrical Plant · I.T. Room · Store, 85 m² · two water tanks W04I01R01R03
Level 4Upper Library · washrooms · Attic Storage, 270 m² · lift W05W04I01I02R01R03
Watch points
  • Level 0 is authorized access only. R03 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 R01 (see Q09).
  • Level 4 is reached only through the library, so its directory is a library directory, not a building one. Accessible provision here is unresolved (Q12).
R02 · Laboratory and technical

Thirteen technical spaces, each with its own hazard set

Hazard signage is specified per space, not per building — a computing lab and a biochemistry lab share almost nothing. Safety color and geometry govern throughout; brand colors never override them.

SpaceLevel · ZoneEntry hazard panelMandatory PPEEmergency equipment
Biochemistry Lab, 641 · CBiological and chemical, GHS pictograms per inventoryLab coat, eye protection, glovesShower, eyewash, spill kit, first aid
Anatomy & Physiology Lab, 502 · BBiological, specimen handling, no food or drinkLab coat, glovesEyewash, sharps disposal, first aid
Additional Classroom / Lab, 502 · BTo be confirmed once the final use is fixedTo be confirmedEyewash, first aid
CSIS Computing Lab, 642 · CElectrical, at the distribution point onlyNoneCO₂ extinguisher, first aid
Server Room2 · CRestricted access, electrical, suppression systemNoneSuppression notice, isolation point
Robot Testing Area, 146 m²2 · CMoving machinery, entanglement, keep clear in useEye protection, closed footwearEmergency stop, first aid
MSc. Computer Science Lab, 642 · DElectrical, at the distribution point onlyNoneCO₂ extinguisher, first aid
Engineering Lab, 643 · DMachinery, noise, hot work, eye hazardEye and hearing protection, closed footwearEmergency stop, extinguisher, eyewash
Research Laboratories 01–043 · CChangeable insert, set by the principal investigatorPer laboratoryEyewash, spill kit, first aid
Research Space, 183 m²3 · CLaboratory discipline, no lone working out of hoursAs posted at each benchFirst aid, nearest eyewash
Mechanical & Electrical Plant0Authorized access, electrical, mechanical, confined spaceAs postedIsolation points, first aid
I.T. Room0Restricted access, electricalNoneIsolation point
Water Tanks, 2 no.0Confined space, permit to work requiredAs postedIsolation 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. Robot Testing Area access control is unresolved — see Q07 and the open queries.

Naming & recognition

Designing for names that do not exist yet

Every plate that may later carry a donor or honorific name is modular, so a future naming decision never requires a complete sign replacement.

Permanent carrier

Fabricated with the main contract
  • Room number, permanently applied
  • Permanent identification
  • Zone cue
  • A machined slot sized for the insert

Replaceable insert

Produced later, as names are confirmed
  • Current functional name
  • Later donor or honorific name
  • Naming content
  • Replaceable without tools that damage the carrier

Nothing waits on a name

Carriers are priced and fabricated against a fixed schedule. No sign depends on a naming decision being made first.

A name change costs an insert

Not a sign. No wall is redrilled, and the permanent room number is untouched.

Recognition can grow

Named-space inserts are added as gifts are confirmed, over years, without a new procurement.

Naming stays subordinate

A donor name sits below the room number and the functional name, never above. The visitor identifies the destination first.

Design considerations

Typography, color, material, environment

Typography

Two typefaces, with a clear division of labor. EB Garamond gives the system its institutional character; Poppins carries the fast, functional information. Garamond is not used for dense microcopy.

Aa Bb Cc
1234567890
Lead

EB Garamond

Gives the system its institutional character.

  • Building name
  • Major level titles
  • Zone identifiers
  • Room names
  • Major destinations
  • Directional destination names
  • Named spaces
Aa Bb Cc
1234567890
Secondary

Poppins

Carries the fast, functional information.

  • Room numbers
  • Supporting information
  • Secondary labels
  • Zone captions
  • Operational information
  • Level references
  • Small metadata
  • Arrows and symbol systems

The critical color rule

Color may reinforce location. It must never be the only way location is communicated.

Every zone treatment combines at least the zone letter, the zone label and the zone color. This matters particularly because Slate and Chocolate sit relatively close in luminance, so anyone relying on hue alone — under color vision deficiency, poor light, or a dirty plate — loses the distinction entirely.

On the floor plans in this proposal, markers are colored by sign family as a drawing convention, and always carry their type code as text. Zone colors appear only where zones are being described. The two systems are never asked to share a surface.

Finish

Matt, low glare, maximum 20% gloss on all reading faces

The building has extensive glazing and a courtyard that throws light into circulation. Gloss is the fastest way to make a correctly sized sign unreadable.

Material direction

The current visual language assumes powder-coated aluminum, white and dark Slate powder-coated finishes, brushed metal edges and reveals, replaceable colored inserts, and applied vinyl or printed graphics where appropriate. Final materials respond to whether a location is enclosed or exposed.

Visual appearance and technical material specification are kept separate, so the same visual design can be tested against more than one fabrication method without redrawing it.

Environment

The building uses natural ventilation and extensive Low-E glazing and curtain walling. A sign that is nominally interior may still meet UV, humidity, heat, dust, wind-driven moisture and glare. Every location carries an exposure classification, and the material system answers to it.

1Controlled interior

Enclosed, conditioned. Standard interior substrates.

2Naturally ventilated interior

Open to air movement and humidity. Sealed edges, UV-stable inks.

3Semi-exterior

Courtyard ring and covered thresholds. Full exterior build-up.

4Exterior

Unprotected. Marine-grade substrate, stainless fixings.

Wall condition

Wall mounting is the default, which makes wall availability a design input rather than an installation detail. Every placement records its surface, and unavailable surfaces are flagged before a sign is assigned.

Solid masonry or plaster wallPainted wallGlazed wallCurtain wallTimber surfaceCabinetryWhiteboardProjector or screen areaOpen edgeOther

Whiteboards, projector and screen areas, cabinetry and curtain walling are checked before a wall-mounted sign is assigned. Unavailable surfaces are flagged, not worked around silently.

Accessibility

The accessible route is stored separately

Where ramps and lifts diverge from stairs, the system generates a direct route and an accessible route as different path options. Floor directories show the accessible route as a distinct line.

Unresolved issues stay attached

Architectural queries are attached to a floor, route or sign rather than silently resolved. They remain visible until explicitly closed.

Level 4 provision is unresolved

There is no clearly identified accessible WC on the Upper Library level. This is carried as an open query (Q12), not designed around.

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.

Issue tracker

Open architectural queries

These remain visible until explicitly closed. Several of them govern quantities, so none of them can be quietly resolved in favor of a tidier schedule.

Q02
Engineering Program classroom areas

Areas may not reconcile between the accommodation schedule and the plans.

Open
Q03
First-floor tiered classroom areas

Areas differ between the schedule and the detailed plans.

Open
Q04
Upper Library area

Schedule area and drawing area differ.

Open
Q05
Administrative office area

Administrative office area and the separate Communications Office require reconciliation.

Open
Q06
Engineering Lab area

Schedule and detail area differ by approximately 1 m².

Open
Q07
Academic Pods

Two Academic Pods appear on the drawings in addition to the five scheduled pods.

Open
Q08
Lower-ground washrooms

Washroom area does not map cleanly between the labels and the accommodation schedule.

Open
Q09
Attic storage

270 m² appears in the schedule but is not clearly identified on the detailed plan.

Open
Q10
Final room-sign quantity

Cannot be established without a complete door and GA package. Quantities in this proposal are indicative.

Open
Q11
Formal visitor entrances

Need confirmation — some exterior thresholds may be egress-only.

Open
Q12
Accessible provision at Level 4

Needs confirmation. No clearly identified accessible WC on the Upper Library level.

Open
Delivery

Sign register and output

Indicative quantity, by type and level

Measured from Revision 02 and remapped to the new type codes. This is not a tender schedule — final room-sign quantity cannot be established without a complete door and GA package (Q10).

SetTypeDescriptionSite01234Total
E E01Building identification33
E02Entrance + level identification4610
E03Campus directional / handoff88
E2*Vehicular directional44
W W01Arrival orientation0
W02Directional18131234
W03Zone gateway36615
W04Core / level marker2697226
W05Floor directory444214
I I01Standard room identification52137614128
I02Department / open-plan identification337114
I03Service-room identification0
I3*Nook, pod and interactive410822
R R01Emergency routes & fire62444424120
R02Laboratory hazard & PPE66181545
R03Restricted access9597232
R04Accessibility information487120
N N01Named spaces61616240
N02Donor recognition112
N03Dedications22
N04Interpretive content353112
Indicative total, Revision 02 measurement 152910219019619551

Generated from the same marker data that drives the plans, so the schedule and the drawings cannot disagree. Rows in a lighter tone carry a provisional type code. Not a tender schedule — see Q10.

What the register carries

Every sign holds a full record, so the same data serves approval, verification and fabrication without being re-entered.

Sign IDTypeLevelZoneMessageDimensionsTypefaceColorsMountingWall conditionEnvironmentMaterialStatusRevisionQuantityNotes

Two kinds of output

Approval output — for the client

  • Visual concept boards
  • Individual sign mockups
  • Wall-context mockups
  • Material options
  • Sign-family comparisons
  • Design rationale
  • Verification summaries

Production output — for fabrication

  • Vector artwork
  • Dimensions
  • Color values
  • Font specifications
  • Material callouts
  • Sign schedule and register
  • Revision number
  • Print and fabrication geometry
Production target

After concept selection, fully editable Adobe Illustrator-compatible vector artwork, with all elements remaining individually editable wherever possible.

Next phase

Three visual directions

The concept established so far — restrained dark neutral base, strong zone accents, EB Garamond as the dominant voice, large level numerals and zone letters, an aluminum and powder-coated visual language — is Option 1 territory, not the final design.

The next phase develops roughly three clearly differentiated visual directions, not minor variations of one system. The distinction between them comes from the visual system, never from changing the wayfinding logic.

Fixed across all three

  • EB Garamond + Poppins
  • Zones A / B / C / D
  • The agreed HEX values
  • Wall-mounted internal wayfinding
  • Neutral Level 0–4 nomenclature
  • Ashesi room numbering
  • The numerical design constraints
  • Institutional fabrication
  • Editable vector artwork

Free to vary

  • Amount of color
  • Panel geometry
  • Edge treatment
  • Typography scale
  • Background material
  • Dimensionality
  • Direct-to-wall vs fabricated panel

Once one direction is selected, the complete family is developed consistently and prepared as production-ready editable artwork.

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