Wayfinding & Activations that Create Places with Purpose
A brand is more than a logo. It is every visual, verbal and experiential element that communicates your brand’s values and promise to all of your careholders. A brand can be expressed in significantly positive and impactful ways through physical spaces – whether large-scale art, wayfinding or other activations that engage or honour clients, donors and partners. When our marketing-communications partners are looking to establish new engaging spaces, communicate a promise, ensure accessibility and ease of wayfinding, or create a sense of place - from calm and welcoming to dynamic and exciting, they turn to sagecomm. Recently, those partners have included City of London, London Children’s Museum and Youth Opportunities Unlimited. Each brand had a new space or opportunity focused on setting the right tone and style to engage a wide variety of important audiences.
Youth Opportunities Unlimited | Joan's Place
For Youth Opportunities Unlimited’s Joan’s Place project – a youth services hub and affordable housing project with a vision to keep youth, young families and mothers-to-be safe and thriving together – the goal was to create a feeling of calm and welcome right from the first moment that marginalized youth and young families step through the door.
Additionally, the project had many generous donors and funders, so donor recognition needed to flow seamlessly throughout the space, be creative and innovative in its approach, be a unique but seamless extension of the wider YOU brand, and above all be appropriate in look and feel to the core purposes of the space – a home and place of support to youth. The recognition elements were designed to be connected to the larger mission of Joan's Place, to promote a feeling of welcome, and to ensure an appropriate tribute to the namesake of the facility - Joan Smith, and her family.
In order to achieve the goals of this space, the design approach began with an overall “sub-brand” design for Joan’s Place. Leaning on the idea of pathways and each person’s individual journey in their connection to YOU, we created design elements that could seamlessly integrate throughout the space. The design elements centred around leaves and organic path statements, all developed in a palette complimenting the YOU brand. The Joan Smith Welcome Wall continued to integrate powerful statements illustrated on pathways, paired with photography of Joan and her family. Each element was thoughtfully integrated into the physical space, also considering the interior design, so that everything lives in harmony, bringing cohesion to the visitor and staff experience.
London Children’s Museum
For London Children’s Museum - a new, best-in-class 36,000 square-foot destination of learning and discovery, in Canada’s largest recreation centre, 100 Kellogg - the focus was on joyful first impressions, and welcome, accessibility and comfort for families of all ages, stages and abilities, as well as ease of finding both new and favourite exhibits. Integrating these concepts into the new refreshed brand ensured cohesion across the updated visual brand, the physical space of the new museum, and the additional signage and wayfinding assets. The result is a space that authentically re-enforces the values, mission and experience of the London Children’s Museum from the moment you enter the building. This award winning design supports the visitor experience, prioritizes accessibility, and compliments the design of this iconic space.
City of London | Placemaking Initiative
For the City of London’s Core Area & Urban Regeneration Planning department the focus was on creating and enhancing built activations that both mark physical boundaries and create a sense of energy, welcome and vibrancy in London’s core areas, including the Dundas Place flex street. From street closure signage and area markers to accentuation of permanent installations like planters and traffic poles, this placemaking effort welcomes residents and visitors alike, and helps ensure pedestrian safety and overall area beautification. The design approach was to represent various notions of the downtown core - community and culture, innovation and growth, and art and creativity. This was achieved through focused, bold palettes, paired with graphic patterns. This approach created limitless possibilities for how the designs could be applied to various physical structures made of different materials, including planters, electrical boxes, wayfinding towers, and barricades. It was a system that continues to allow for flexibility and creative expansion.
Services Delivered
- Research & Discovery
- Creative Strategy
- Signage Strategy
- Wayfinding and Signage Design
- Interior & Exterior Activations
- Donor Recognition Strategy
- Narrative Positioning
- Copy Development
Sector
Featured work samples
YOU | Joan's Place
For Youth Opportunities Unlimited’s Joan’s Place, the priority was to create a space that feels calm, safe, and welcoming – for youth, young families and mothers-to-be – from their very first step inside. A unique donor recognition system was seamlessly integrated throughout the space, honouring the generosity of funders while staying true to the heart of the project. Inspired by pathways and journeys, the design incorporated organic leaf motifs and warm palettes that symbolize growth and connection, including in the tribute to the facility’s namesake - Joan Smith.
Wayfinding and Signage Solutions Included:
- Donor Recognition Plaques
- Donor recognition wall activations through the space
- A custom welcome wall with 2D and 3D applications
- Coffee station activation
- A custom Joan Smith tribute mural
- Custom Posters
I have had the good fortune of working with sagecomm on several projects at YOU for many years. In each case, the sagecomm team has put so much time and heart into each project. For Joan's Place, the sagecomm team was tasked with creating the initial communications that anchored YOU's capital campaign. As the project neared completion, we reached out again to the team to create a special, welcoming feeling from the first moment young people stepped into Joan’s Place and to ensure unique and heartfelt ways to honour our namesake, Joan Smith and her family, and all of our generous donors. The result is a series of remarkable space activations and donor recognition designs that fill the halls and rooms of Joan’s Place with hope, inspiration and warmth. We could not be more thrilled.
City of London Core Area | Vibrancy in the Heart of the City
For the City of London’s Core Area the focus was on placemaking that energizes and beautifies downtown spaces. From street closure signage to planters, poles, and wayfinding towers, all elements needed to welcome pedestrians and promote safety. Using bold palettes and graphic patterns, the system reflects the downtown’s spirit of community, creativity, and innovation, and is flexible and adaptable across many materials and installations. These dynamic and welcoming designs bring vibrancy and cohesion to Dundas Place and other core areas.
Wayfinding and Signage Solutions Included:
- Concrete planter box vinyl wraps
- Electrical box wraps
- Wayfinding tower dressings
- Electrical barricades
- Street closure dressings
London Children's Museum
The new London Children’s Museum was designed to spark joy, curiosity, and comfort for visitors of every age and ability. From the moment families walk through the doors, the refreshed brand and carefully planned signage create a cohesive experience that is welcoming, accessible, and easy to navigate, ensuring ease of finding both new and favourite exhibits. Award-winning in its approach, the branding and wayfinding system not only complement the iconic space but also enhance accessibility, ensuring the museum is a truly inclusive destination of learning and discovery.
Wayfinding and Signage Solutions Included:
- Framed signage for the 100 Kellogg Lobby
- Exterior museum banner
- Custom door wraps
- Various logo activations
- Exterior and interior washroom signage including compliant, braille printed signage
- Various styles of directional signage throughout the museum
There is a feeling of comfort that is hard to describe when you enter into a space and realize it was designed with you in mind.
