I'm Thomas Dabner, a freelance designer with my focus being graphic identity design, this ranges from marks & symbols to full business identity work including stationery, packaging and signage. Here is what I do...
Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery
Large arrows on the building's facade attract attention and draw in the public
The Sheffield Institute of Arts is a division of Sheffied Hallam University and is home to the Art and Design students who attend the University. The site spreads across several campuses, each containing several buildings, the Furnival Building (shown above) is where the SIA Gallery is located.
However with the gallery being situated amongst many buildings, all very busy with students moving to and from classes, the gallery was ver difficult to find. Particularly for members of the public and people who had not visited before.
The University approached me with the job of developing new signage which could act as both a wayfinding system and an approachable way of attracting new visitors to the gallery as some people felt put off by the University surroundings.
Large numbering on the gallery doors prevent any confusion in finding the space
I employed a systm of arrows which were clear and stood out from the regular University graphic devices. Using large numbering on the doors for both the upper and lower floors, immediately attracts visitors to the gallery space before they get lost in the unfamiliar building.
The typeface I chose to use is Gotham Bold due to its high legibility and the fact that it stands out nicely from the SHU Helvetica signage throughout the rest of the building. All the lettering used is in caps to keep the striking and exciting feel I wanted to create. The gallery space is all about standing out and being individual, something more interesting to experience than the corporate shell it is located in.
Clean directions shown through an arrow system make navigation easy for a new visitor
Large type and numbering on doors make the space stand out
Client testimonial
“ We commissioned Tom to take a look at the signage for the gallery. We had two problems – poor visibility from the street and way-finding within the building. We were also looking to build a public facing identity, and make it very obvious that we welcomed all visitors. Tom answered the brief excellently – his approach was thoughtful and well researched, and he spent time in and around the building looking at how the signage might work.
He brought lots of excellent ideas to the table, showing a huge range examples of signage from around the world - from art galleries to airports. The signs he produced are lively, exciting and quirky – just like the gallery. Best of all, they do the job brilliantly.
We are so pleased with the work Tom did, and it already looks like it’s directly increased visitor numbers.”
Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery | 2010