WPA is pleased to collaborate with Sway on our second wayfinding project, this time for the NEON District and the Downtown Norfolk Council. Check out the article here…pilotonline.com
WPA has worked with NSU stakeholders and our partners at SWAY and Acorn Sign Graphics to design a new sign family to kick off the Norfolk State University Wayfinding Program. The goals of the Wayfinding Program are to make the University more welcoming, accessible and navigable, to provide information clearly and consistently, to clean up existing sign clutter, and to enhance the appearance of the campus. It will reinforce the NSU Master Plan’s goals of promoting a healthy residential college campus with a focus on the pedestrian experience.
WPA was hired by Smithfield Foods to study several options for expanding their current parking for the Corporate Campus. Smithfield Foods would like to give back to the Town by creating a wetlands boardwalk and nature trail that forms a connection from the existing docks at the Smithfield Corporate building up to Church Street. The boardwalk would be used as a teaching tool, educating visitors on the plant and animal life that exists in the wetlands, and enjoyed during the 4th of July and other holidays that bring the Smithfield community together on the water. WPA is currently working with the Town of Smithfield and Isle of Wight County, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the Department of Historic Resources to analyze all of the available options. Our consultants are: WPL (Surveying, Civil, and Landscape) WPL, Map Environmental (Environmental issues and agency submittals) Map Environmental, GET Solutions (Geotechnical Engineering) GET. Project is temporarily on hold until Smithfield Food merger is finalized.
In coordination with the Norfolk State University Master Plan of 2010, the Wayfinding Program is underway to create a welcoming, accessible and navigable campus. WPA is partnering with SWAY Creative Labs to design the new signage for the campus, which will not only serve off campus traffic, but create recognizable gateways for the first time visitor, allow easy vehicular navigation around the campus perimeter and focus on pedestrian access in the core. This is an exciting opportunity to unify the graphic representation of NSU and create clear, concise signage for all, students and visitors alike.
Below are some recent images of existing campus signage.
WPA’s sign for Satya Yoga was installed this week. We’re very proud of this sign and especially of the way that the stainless steel and teak wood blend in with Historic Freemason. The laser-cut stainless bracket spells out “Satya” in Sanskrit and is designed to be reminiscent of the Victorian brackets found on nearby buildings. The teak wood will naturally age to a dignified gray in time.
WPA was hired to re-imagine this building on Monticello Avenue. We came up with two proposals. One option is a block-long arcade while the other splits the ground-level facade into individual storefront entrances.
