Installation of Outdoor Information Signs on Mita Campus

2019/06/14

At the end of March 2019, the maintenance of outdoor information signs on the Mita Campus grounds was completed. A total of 36 information signs were installed near each gate (Main Gate, East Gate, West Gate, and North Gate), at junctions on campus, and near building entrances.

The process leading to the realization of this information sign maintenance project was slightly different from typical construction work. For projects of a similar scale, it is common for the budget to be requested in the year prior to the construction and for the work to be carried out the following year after approval, often taking two years. However, this project took four years to realize. This was not, however, simply a case of taking a long time for no reason.

The purpose of the information sign maintenance project was to realize "easy-to-understand information signs." Although there were information signs on Mita Campus before, they were difficult to understand, and there were people who passed by without noticing them, people who stood still in front of them for a while, and people who hesitated to enter at building entrances. Since many people visit Mita Campus every day besides students and faculty/staff—including prospective students, Keio University alumni, external researchers, and corporate representatives—we felt it was necessary to provide easy-to-understand information signs. Therefore, we first decided to conduct a survey, analysis, and study of solutions regarding the current state of signs on Mita Campus.

We believed it was necessary to analyze the causes of "why they are difficult to understand" and to design individual signs according to an appropriate overall plan based on that analysis. Seeking help from internal experts, we asked Associate Professor (Non-tenured) Daijiro Mizuno of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, who specializes in design research, for his cooperation. He graciously accepted, and it was decided that he would collaborate as part of his seminar activities.

Furthermore, the research grant system through the Keio Gijuku Academic Development Funds supported three years of research activities. It is rare for faculty, staff, and students to work together to solve internal campus issues. The accumulation of activities where opinions were actively exchanged from their respective perspectives served as material for the direction the design should aim for when requesting specific design proposals from professional companies, and it also became important criteria for judgment during the final design revision process.

The information sign maintenance plan was considered with the following points primarily in mind:

1. Install signs with arrows to guide destinations at junctions where many people pass

Many people pass through the area around the First School Building, but signs were only installed in one location. It was decided that they should be installed at the four junctions at the corners of the building. We thought it desirable to have directional indicators for destinations using arrows so that people could check their destination without stopping.

2. Install signs indicating building names near building entrances

Even when reaching the entrance of each building, there were no building names displayed, and there was no information to confirm it was the intended building. It was felt that building names should be displayed at entrances so that people could enter with peace of mind.

3. Reflect the scenery seen from the visitor's perspective in the sign design

In addition to a flat building layout map looking down at the campus from directly above, we thought it would be easier to understand if a 3D diagram from the perspective of a person walking through the campus was also included. By visualizing the exterior of the building, people can use the building as a landmark to head toward their destination.

4. Assign building numbers to each building to enable guidance by building number

Many building names on Mita Campus are based on directions, and names of buildings in the same direction are similar, such as "South School Building," "South Building," and "South Annex." We thought it would be easier to understand if building numbers were assigned to each building so that people could head to their destination using the building number.

To realize the information sign maintenance, a project committee consisting of members from relevant departments (Administrative Affairs Office, Office of Communications and Public Relations, Office of Student Services, Admissions Center, Office of Correspondence Courses, and Media Center) was established. After sharing the results of the activities with the Mizuno Research Group, we proceeded with considerations for the implementation of the specific sign maintenance project. Taking into account the ability to perform stable maintenance after completion and ensuring safety to withstand strong winds such as typhoons, we decided to request proposals from several specialized companies capable of handling both design and construction as a package.

The final design primarily considers the following points:

1. Use of Keio University school colors

Since many information signs were to be installed, we considered the impact the signs would have on the impression of the campus and adopted navy blue, one of the school colors.

2. Two patterns of building-front signs selectable according to the situation

There was a concern that installing information signs at building entrances might harm the building's design. Depending on the scale of the building and the surrounding environment, we used two patterns: a large free-standing sign and a small sign that is simply mounted on the wall.

3. Installation of a bulletin board limited to "Today's Events"

A bulletin board limited to information on events and ceremonies held on the day was attached to the information sign on the courtyard side of the Main Gate, where the most people pass. The goal is to make it easier to access information on events and ceremonies currently in progress.

4. Clear display of AED and multipurpose toilet locations

AEDs and multipurpose toilets are represented by pictograms (signs showing facility information with pictures), and the floor where they are located is indicated on the signs at building entrances.

5. Consideration for wheelchair users and those with low vision

The height of the information signs was adjusted to match the eye level of wheelchair users, and universal fonts that are easy to see even for those with low vision were actively used.

6. Consideration of installation locations so that visually impaired people do not collide with signs

To avoid the newly installed signs becoming obstacles and causing injury to visually impaired people through collisions, we decided to install information signs on the left side of entrances as a rule, based on feedback from visually impaired individuals that "it is easier to recognize the location of signs if the installation locations are patterned" (if installation on the left was not possible, the location was specified with collision avoidance in mind).

The research results of the collaboration between faculty, staff, and students within the university are expressed in the overall plan and design details of the information signs. We hope that as many people as possible will find them "easy to understand."