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Environmental graphic design for building information systems

Article in Eurasian Journal of Biosciences · January 2019

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 EurAsian Journal of BioSciences
Eurasia J Biosci 13, 2271-2278 (2019)

Environmental graphic design for building information

systems
Elif Atamaz 1*
1
Assistant Professor, European University of Lefke, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Graphic Design, North
Cyprus, TR- 10, Mersin, TURKEY
*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract
In our modern world, cities are growing and consequently, the complexities of the buildings are
increasing day by day. The main problem in our cities is the lack of communication between the
citizens and therefore rising “individualism”. Especially foreigners coming from small regions,
speaking different languages, cannot easily adapt to the social life of the city and they cannot develop
their life skills for urban areas. It is not easy for foreign people to walk around in the city streets and
building complexes. They need effective guidance. There is a need for effective and useful building
information systems. The main topic of this paper is the new subject “Environmental Graphic Design”.
By using graphic design elements; typography, pictograms, photographs, and illustrations the
storytelling places can be designed.
In this paper, firstly environmental graphic design will be described by searching the awarded projects
from all over the world and then the practices in Cyprus will be analyzed by comparing their past and
present. Lastly the case study with the students of Architecture Faculty of one private university in
Cyprus will be reported and in this manner, the importance of graphic design in architectural
environments will be emphasized.

Keywords: graphic design, way-finding, information systems, sign systems, environmental

graphics

Atamaz E (2019) Environmental graphic design for building information systems. Eurasia J Biosci
13: 2271-2278.

© 2019 Atamaz
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.

INTRODUCTION local ones prefer to stay in their own territories and

unless they have to, they do not participate in city life.
Our world has been changing rapidly since the Especially for the people coming from small regions and
industrial revolution and it has gained acceleration in the not used to big city life, the sense of alienation, the fear
last quarter of the century with the aid of technological of belonging to urban life would be higher. When they
developments. Cities are growing and becoming are obliged to go to a complex building such as a
complicated living centers far from human scales. hospital or terminal, they need effective guidance with
However, people coming from small regions have to live them. The way-finding signs and information graphics
in these complexes because of their difficult living are mostly designed according to main city languages
conditions in their territories. These difficulties may be and additionally English for visitors. Indications from
political, economic and natural or man-made statistical data on migrants more widely and from the
treatments….but there is a high ratio increase in the available literature suggest that refugees may overall
population and this population is not homogeneous. The have a greater incidence of lower educational attainment
number of international migrants, people living outside (UNCHR 2013). It is not difficult to understand that most
their country of birth or citizenship, reached the highest of the newcomers know little local language and English
level ever recorded in the last years. On the other hand; and even if they can speak, they may not read and write.
local people are not happy with their living in multicultural Antonsson (2010), worked in the Osire refugee
cities. Migrants bring their cultures, religions, daily life settlement of Namibia and found out that not knowing
habits and consequently, the pattern of the local towns the environment and trying to find the way makes
started to change. newcomers scored, uncomfortable and confused and
In our modern world, urban life has been intricate
because of the giant transportation systems with large
vehicular streets surrounding huge complex buildings.
When the multicultural population and its social Received: September 2019
problems are considered; living in an urban environment Accepted: December 2019
becomes very hard. People not only migrants but also Printed: December 2019

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this insecurity contributes to increased stress and thus presented the wayfinding concept as a major design
would raise the actual problems much more. issue and expanded it through the circulation system,
When people do not contribute to urban life, the spatial organization, architectural and graphic
interaction decreases. The lack of communication and communication. In his article, he argued that “wayfinding
collaboration increase the individualism. Triandis (2001) design is not the exclusive domain of graphic designers
claimed that “People in collectivist cultures see but also involves architects and, depending on the
themselves as interdependent with their in-groups, project, might involve urbanists and landscape
which provide for them a stable social environment to architects” (Passini 1996).
which they must adjust”. Social responsibility motivates He also underlined the importance of close
people to work for his/her community and integration collaboration between the design disciplines by saying
with the city. However Triandis continued as “People in that “the unfortunate habit of consulting a graphic
individualist cultures see the self as stable and the social designer shortly before opening day to install some
environment as changeable, so they tend to shape the signs should be vigorously denounced”. As Passini said;
social environment to fit their personalities”. It can be graphic communication design should not be merely an
risky for people when he/she cannot fit the environment overlay onto space. Wayfinding design and, more
because she falls to loneliness and also the unity of specifically, information design should overlap with the
structure can collapse. boundaries of two main professional disciplines;
While the fear of belonging to urban life and architecture and graphic design (SEGD 2015d).
loneliness of the people have been increasing; the need The new term “Environmental Graphic Design”
for design solutions to organize and make city life easier (EGD) has been developed to indicate this alliance
has increased day by day. New design terms have been between architectural design and graphic design. This
regularly introduced to meet these challenges. During paper presents the importance of environmental graphic
the1960’s, new generation designers accepted the design for the information systems of the buildings by
importance of wayfinding and they searched for the using qualitative methods including documentation
solutions. Many designers experimented and applied analysis and observation techniques. Documentation
new variations of graphic design elements by using was focused on firstly the awarded project from the
architecture as a background and so, they started to give world; the University of Technology in Sydney. It was
unique character to the buildings and environment itself. analyzed according to graphic design language and their
A general tendency began to see wayfinding and contribution to the field. Another project from Cyprus;
information design only in terms of signs. However, this Sports Tower was enlightened for its illustrations on the
subject could not be simplified to signage design; it was wall surfaces. With the help of the illustrations, each floor
complicated and interdisciplinary design theory. having different activities gained spatial value and
Urban planner and author Kevin Lynch searched the meaning. For the case study, elective course for
“wayfinding” term worked on cognitive maps in spatial architecture students of Near East University was
orientation. He described the five types of city elements evaluated. The process of the course and the
(paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks) in his approaches of the students were observed and the
most influential book, “The Image of the City” (Lynch emerging projects were examined. Finally, all data’s
1960). By the help of these elements, people can were reported and discussed in the light of the global
construct the image of the city mentally and cities are language of environmental graphic design.
assumed to be “legible” and “imageable”. Consequently,
by the help of these images (cognitive map) people can ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHIC DESIGN
navigate successfully through complex spaces of the Environmental Graphic Design is a new design
urban areas. profession that embraces also interior design, landscape
Another name, Romedi Passini is an architect and design, industrial design, city planning, and behavioral
environmental psychologist and worked on wayfinding psychology. It is concerned with the visual aspects of
design with his collaborator Paul Arthur. They published wayfinding, exhibition design, entertainment
two important books “Wayfinding in Architecture”, (1984) environments, retail projects, information design, and
and “Wayfinding, People, Signs and Architecture” (1992) brand identity to develop a complete sense of place. It
(Passini 1984, 1992). His researches were focused on can be also initiated as the relation of art and science by
general layouts of wayfinding behaviors and spatial using signs, symbols, maps, sculptures, fixtures, light,
features of places. Wayfinding conceptualized in terms walkways and all architectural and graphic elements.
of spatial problem solving was explained in three major
processes: decision-making, decision-execution, and University of Technology, Sydney
information-processing which can be also expressed as Wayfinding and information graphics designed by
perception and cognition. Information processing is the BrandCulture Communications for the University of
part of cognitive maps that are the records of direct Technology in Sydney were awarded by SEGD (Society
environmental perception and cognition. Passini

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and discover” concept fulfilled the functional

requirements and created a sense of discovery for the
students. Floor graphics point the start point and direct
the students like playing a game (Fig. 1). The main
workshop floor required a clearly delineated walkway for
safety; this feature became the key graphic wayfinding
interpretation. The system resolved two issues: finding
the machines by the number from the entry and leading
the eye to display units celebrating the students’ work
(Fig. 2).
The overall visual styling shows respect to modern
iconic graphic styling with an engineering influence,
Fig. 1. Floor graphics pointing the start point featuring bold use of the flooring area. A key influence
was the London Underground “Tube” map originally
created by Harry Beck in 1931 (Fig. 3).
Jury Commented as “An incredibly cohesive
environment, with the environmental graphics working
hand-in-hand with the architecture and machinery. The
floor graphics are appropriate for the user and space,
effectively combining wayfinding, interpretive graphics,
and safety.” And also stated; “Very simply, the
environmental graphics work. Color and type and
graphics are done sensitively and are appropriate to the
environment.” Besides the floor graphics, dotted
patterns on the glass partitions give the sense of high
technology in the interior atmosphere (Fig. 4).
Fig. 2. Floor graphics finding the machines by number
In summary; environmental graphics of the
University of Technology are logical and creative
for Experiential Graphic Design) Global Awards 2011 defining spaces, informing users and enhancing
(SEGD 2015d). directions and directing while triggering students’
The main target of the project was to fulfill curiosity.
occupational health and safety requirements for space
while engaging students through the school’s
workspaces and fabrication studio. BrandCulture’s “find

Fig. 3. London Underground “Tube” map originally created by Harry Beck and University map

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range. Eight-story building has different sections on

each floor and each floor was illustrated by Stencil Artist
Erdoğan Ergün. All the illustrations have a story and
differentiate the floors from each other. For example; a
fitness floor for men can be easily separated from
women’s through the help of wall illustrations (Fig. 5). In
front of the running and spinning machines, there is a
running woman illustration on the wall expressing the
activity and increasing the energy. Additionally, women
and men mix sports hall can be easily separated by the
wall illustration (Fig. 6).
Fig. 4. Dotted patterns on the glass partitions giving the The illustrations of Sports Tower are not decorative
sense of high technology paintings. While directing and informing people, they
emphasize energy and dynamism of the spaces with
Sports Tower, Cyprus their figures and color combinations.
Sports Tower in one of the private univerties of
Cyprus provides opportunities for doing sports in a wide

Fig. 5. Illustrations of fitness halls for men and women

Fig. 6. Illustrations expressing a story

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Fig. 7. Ground floor plan and photographs of Architecture Building

Case Study; Elective Studio Course for showing slides. Before the students’ first exercise,
Architecture Students in Cyprus students were first asked to “observe, immerse, and
As Lyubava Fartushenko said; design as a field is discover” their faculty building by taking photographs in
interdisciplinary in its nature. Interdisciplinary indicates order to develop an awareness of wayfinding and
collaboration between various design disciplines. One identifying problems. These problems are made up of
private university in Cyprus promoted faculties to open conventions in the classrooms. After these searches and
new courses or share the present ones with the other arguments through the photographs it could be easily
faculty students to supply interdisciplinary approach and seen that; architecture building with its blank walls,
collective studies on the undergraduate level. With this cannot communicate with the students. At first they did
aim, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design introduced various not feel themselves belonging to the building but later
elective courses and one of them is Studio Course of on, they got used to it. Having three main floors, it is not
Environmental Graphic Design involving students of a big building, but when you first enter it, you find
Faculty of Architecture including Architectural Design, difficulty to orient yourself due to insufficient graphic
Interior Design, and Landscape Design. The course signage. Briefly, there is no story, no communication and
challenged students to maximize their thinking and no soul for the newcomers. Being aware of this; students
working abilities in the new design field while clarifying started to redesign the building by using graphic
their own areas of expertise. elements; pictograms, photographs, illustrations, and
The studio course was opened to the senior class, typography. Awarded projects from the world were the
met for four hours each week for a total of 15 weeks for inspiration for them because their graphic design
approximately 15 total students, with a uniform mixture knowledge was limited. Before starting the design
of Architectural Design and Interior Design. Starting from process; they illustrated their ideas by photo montaging
fall semester 2014 to 2019; opening in each semester in Adobe Photoshop. They obtained critical spaces in
fall and spring, until now, totally approximately 200 the building requiring communication system for the
students have been educated about this subject. newcomers.
Demographic structure of the students included Turkish, Generally, most of the students considered the main
Arabian and African countries. entrance hall on the ground floor to welcome the people
During the first weeks; theoretical background and (Fig. 7). Each student advised different ideas with
issues of Environmental Graphics were examined by graphic design elements. Mostly, they expressed the

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Fig. 8. Redesigned images of the ground floor

Fig. 9. Dean and Secretary Office Floor plan and photographs

name of the faculty with the shapes, architectural 2nd floor (Fig. 9). Students tried to give information
drawings, and photographs (Fig. 8). about these offices because they experienced
Another important hall which is important for themselves the difficulties of finding secretary in the 2nd
information was Dean and Secretary Office Hall in the floor and also some of them put the number of the floor

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Fig. 10. Redesigned images of the second floor

Fig. 11. Redesigned images of a staircase

with high scale letter on the wall to decrease the Finally, when they compared their redesigned
suspicions for the floor numbers (Fig. 10). photographs with the old ones; they could observe and
Other selected space was a staircase. The walls perceive better the importance of graphic
surrounding stair was significant while rising the stairs to communication in the architectural design.
perceive the architectural atmosphere and take
information about the floors (Fig. 11).

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DISCUSSION accompanying gestures besides the speaking language

Architecture and its fellow disciplines are the and use them when he/she encounters to give an image
cornerstones for creating and shaping the built about herself. Similarly, the built environment has its
environment. During the last few decades in response to own spatial language. But today, while the buildings
the rapid changes in the built environment, design grow up, their languages get difficult to understand.
professions have undergone significant transformations. Multifunctional, complex and crowded structures such
The need for place-making, wayfinding and giving as hospitals, airports, university buildings are becoming
information in the built environment increased the increasingly difficult to perceive, learn, navigate and
collaboration between architecture and graphic design. meet needs. There is a need to reduce the urban spaces
Consequently, the term “Environmental Graphic Design” to human dimensions creating a global language for
(EGD) has been developed to indicate this alliance better understanding of the relationships between
between architectural design and graphic design for spaces and what spaces tell. To create this global
creating story-telling places. language, the visual elements of graphic design;
One of the important problems of our modern world photographs, illustrations, and pictograms beside the
is isolation, segregation, and loneliness of the people in typography are the non-contentious best solutions.
the big crowded cities. There is more demand now for With the rapid changes in urban life and the urgent
healthy communication than past times. Communication need for solutions, environmental graphic design is the
between local people and newcomers and also; new discipline for creating a better environment which
communication between the buildings and users are will naturally spread all over the world soon. A critical
vital for a prosperous future. study of the sample projects from the world and Cyprus
Everyone has his/her own communication skills like and the case study points out that Graphic Design
the level of voice, body posture, eye contact and elements; typography, photography, illustration, and
pictogram have global language and storytelling ability.

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Passini R (1984) Wayfinding in Architecture. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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Passini R (1996) Wayfinding design: logic, application and some thoughts on universality. Great Britain: Elsevier
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