Research Phase 1
Knowledge-Gathering
Environmental Design ARTG 4553
Tuesday + Friday 9:50–11:30
305 Ryder
Ryan Sullivan [email protected]
By appointment
Wayfinding ARTG 4553
Course
Time
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Instructor
Office Hours
Flickr Group
Objective The purpose of the first research phase is to quickly gather basic knowledge concerning wayfinding-related issues at Northeastern and to develop preliminary conclusions and hypotheses based on the research. The conclusions and hypotheses will be used to initiate the second, human-centered research phase.
For this research phase, we will work in groups according to our disciplines, focusing on content pertaining to architecture/urbanism, graphic design and interactive design. Each group will create a comprehensive series of diagrams/maps/illustrations that document a series of wayfinding-related themes:
Architecture/Urbanism Group
Location/context Edges and gateways Nodes and centers
Districts Pedestrian routes & intensity Vehicular routes & intensity
Landmarks Transit Access Morphological evolution
Natural/ecological systems Program types and locations Shadow and wind impacts
Underground network Expansion plans Architectural styles
Land values and FAR Life between buildings Nolli (public space)
Scale comparisons Zoning Campus lore/traditions
Graphic Design Group
Wayfinding signs Campus maps Building maps
Environmental graphics Building and room signs Typography
NU brand standards Colors Logos/seals/pictograms
Informal signs Fine art at NU History of brand-identity
Ephemera Accessibility standards Wayfinding precedents
Graphic design adjacent to campus
Interactive Design Group
NU web wayfinding resources Other online wayfinding GPS usage at NU
NU interactive kiosks Mobile computing at NU Ubiquitous computing precedents
NU data audit (availability?) Interactive wayfinding precedents
After the research and documentation process, each group will organize their drawings into a presentation. It is critical that the presentation articulates a larger narrative and identifies conclusions and hypotheses.
Process
Duration: 1.5 weeksStart date: January 15Completion date and presentation: January 26
The drawings should be prepared in Illustrator and/or Photoshop. Files will be organized according to graphic standards that we will establish collectively.
The presentation should be formatted in InDesign and designed for both print and projection.
Additionally, each group will create a bibliography of “essential readings” for their topic and identify one book or article for their classmates to read.
Deliverables
Schedule