Signage & Wayfinding
Taliesin West was Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and studio. Today the UNESCO World Heritage Site serves as the headquarters for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Taliesin Institute. It is also a popular tourist destination, and venue for concerts, lectures, symposiums, and other special events.
Although the campus has long been a hub of activity, it had inconsistent or non-existent directional signage to welcome and direct visitors. The campus needed a comprehensive design strategy and plan for a more clear and functional wayfinding system.
I worked on the project from concept through implementation, studying the campus and its various functions, determining what directional signage was needed, designing a clear and cohesive visual system, and developing a plan for implementation.
Color is used strategically to identify sign functions. The red orange color is the signature color of the site and is used on signs that direct vehicles. Cherokee Red is used on all signs that direct people to campus destinations such as tours, bookstore, or apprentice court. Gray is used on all signs identifying Foundation offices.
I drew on elements of Taliesin West’s visual vocabulary to integrate the design with the campus. Signs had to be bold and clear to accomplish their job, yet neither dominate nor take away from Wright’s architecture and the natural landscape.
Project Team:Nick Abele, Designer
Bonnie Siegler, Aris Georges, creative consultants
Fred Prozillo, director of preservation
E2 Innovations, sign fabrication and installation