Thanks to wayfinding, people are able to navigate themselves in unfamiliar territory. While architecture is becoming more complex, it becomes hard for people to find their way in large spaces, such as airports, universities, hospitals and more.
Imagine walking through the airport and their no signs or arrows to guide you. You would get lost in the huge space and lose your way. We don't give enough credit to the huge signs telling us where our gates are.
This is a picture of an airport sign showing that gates 1-20 for international departure are that way.
This is a perfect example of wayfinding.
Another example of wayfinding would be the symbol for restrooms on the door. Imagine your in a store with a 100 different closets/ door. Without the identification, you would not know which one is a restroom.
Even street signs are an example of wayfinding. Like a sign that indicates a dead end. If it wasn't there, we would never know.
This example of wayfinding allows handicapped individuals know there is a specific entrance that would be easier for them.
Overall, wayfinding is a huge part of our everyday life and we don't even notice. Next time you see a street sign or a sign that leads you a certain way, think of wayfinding and its principles. I know I will!
<3 Berta
Great blog post, I really love your choice of visuals, I can definitely say that I've seen these almost eveyday during my commute. In my previous blog post last week, I also wrote about wayfinding. I made sure to mention the new interactive way finding maps that are now placed on certain campuses and buildings. We’re beginning to see them more and it gives us a complete layout of a building or campus which has been very convenient for myself.
- Akilah Pereira
Nice job providing images as examples for us. I see those signs all the time and its so cool to see how we all visually learn through this way and find our way around the world.
Hi Berta!
I enjoyed learning about way finding because it is not at all what I thought it was. When I saw that we were learning about maps and way finding recently I immediately thought "what does this have to do with visual communication"? You're absolutely right that way finding is part of our everyday life and we don't notice at all! At least I never did. When I immediately think of way finding my mind automatically goes to the thousands of times my nephews had made me watch Moana on repeat. Now that girl is a way finder! But definitely in a different sense. It's interesting to learn that way finding is simply what it sounds like when you…