WAYFINDING - Research and Initial Designs

Research: (based on crit feedback)
'The Situationist International' were a Paris-based group that had their origins in the avant hard artistic tradition. They practiced in psychogeography which is "the study of precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organised or not, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals". In other words, it is activities that raise awareness of the natural and cultural environment around us, as well as the relation of senses and emotions to a place and environment.

Guy Debord 1957: Psychogeographic guide of Paris, (Fig.1) is an example of this. It is a mapping of atmospheric unities of a city. The map of Paris has been cut up in different areas that are experienced by some people as the district unities (neighbourhoods). The mentally felt distance between these areas are visualised by spreading out the pieces of the cut up map. The red arrows indicate the most frequent used crossings between the neighbourhoods. Fig.2 and Fig.3 are other examples of The Situationist's work on psychogeography.

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Initial Designs:

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Looking at The Situationists' work, what stood out to me was that psychogeographic pieces have a sense of organised chaos. The collage-like composition is accompanied by arrows and dash-like forms, that bring everything together. Their work shows that a way finding system can be more complex and subjective than you would first assume, as long as the abstract nature of it is properly controlled. Following this mentality, I quickly explored a few different patterns that could be used to create my way finding system (Fig.4), and was confident in looking at slightly more complex patterns without the fear of them being too subjective. 

One of those quick explorations held a resemblance to a skyline. I thought this idea would be appropriate to develop further as the locations I had chosen all have a very pleasing skyline in the horizon. I then explored this further, making quick sketches along this theme (Fig.5), with the initial ideas containing supergraphics, leaflet map, small indicators throughout the city, website, app, 2d and 3d items to mark the spot, and colour considerations of yellow, teal, orange and brown. 

To make my wayfinding system a representation of the locations within it, I decided to look at the individual skylines from each location (Fig. 6 to 10). I wanted this to be the basis and main unique element to the whole system.

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