MAPPING AND WAYFINDING PROJECT | RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND FINAL OUTCOME

For this project about Mapping and Wayfinding, we were asked to choose a site and create our own mapping system for it. The area I chose is Pancras Square, near King's Cross St. Pancras Underground station. It is a small triangular square mainly surrounded by offices and restaurants. Although they are quite busy and active, the space is only hosting some benches and a fountain. It is unutilized in my opinion. It is a recently constructed square which could be definitely used more. On the first day of work, I surveyed the space and made some photographs and quick drawings. However it was lunch time no one was spending their break chatting and eating in the sitting areas available. This is a really rich area, especially for workers and students.
Therefore I decided to develop a concept for an installation and an event to attract people. The space would host groups of people called 'events' talking about different topics. This would allow the space to be busier and more utilized.

Photos of the space. Author's own.

Research:

I started researching some practitioners and work about mapping and signage. What I found really interesting was that what I was looking at did not look like maps at all. It was all about feelings, statistics and interaction.

Way finding research. (Image 1). Author's own.

This work from Pentagram Studio (Img 1) really helped me to realize the wayfinding system of my installation. I wanted to create an easy one which people could follow in order to find the event in which they are interested in.

Development:

I started to develop my project with the realization of different images representing line, shape, form and color. With this drawings I then made different collages and started to find a direction for my project.

Main board development. (Image 2). Author's own.

From the collages on Image 2 I extracted and decided to create an 'Event Main Board' which consists in a large format screen where all the events are displayed and people can interact with it by tapping on each group and decide to join and edit it. I designed the 'pop ups' for the main board, being inspired by the shape and the shadow of the windows from one of the buildings around. (Img 3, right page). The way people could reach the group from the main board is to follow a led lit cord which goes up to the event stand. I have been inspired by a puzzle video game called "The witness", for the realisation of the way finder. (img 3, left page)

On the left: inspiration from puzzle video game The witness for way finding system. On the right: development for Main Board. (Image 3). Author's own.

Main Board design. Author's own.

In the design of the Main Board, in the image right above, each section of the square where the events are is shown. By tapping on each one different 'pop ups' will appear showing what the topics are at that moment. The colors I chose are related to the topics in each group. I.e. Green Group: environment, food, eco sources, etc. I believe that this design solution worked really well. The black background helps the bright colors to stand out even more and to be really visible especially at night.

Green Event stand and its way finding system. Author's own.

I designed a stand for the events where the topics are shown and where people can add their ideas. The stands are connected to the Main Board with the lit cord system shown in the image above.

Event app design and chat. Author's own.

To push the project more I decided to design an app for this whole event. The design of the homepage is the same as the Main Board one. In addition I designed a space where people could chat and meet at certain event to discuss and enjoy.

Although I did not quite like this project at the beginning, because I did not know what to produce, I ended up liking it. I also imagined and visualized in my mind this installation actually existing in the space. This project could be a good beginning to further develop for my FMP.