The Sign Lecture

The Sign

Pictograms

Pictograms are used to warn, guide or protect and need to be immediately decipherable. They must get to the heart of the matter by visually conveying a vital piece of information in such a way that it cannot be misunderstood, and they should therefore be internationally recognisable and independent of culture.

Semiotics

Semantics - Sign and Meaning

dependent on context
dependent on knowledge
dependent on society
dependent on culture

Syntactic - Formal, unambiguous, succinct

Form
Brightness
Colour
Movement
Material
Scale
Position
Shape

Pragmatics -

Indicative

The burning cigarette informs the receiver that they may smoke here, but that they do not have to smoke. It is therefore up to the receiver what they do with this information.

Imperative

When the burning cigarette has a dash through it, the intention os to influence the receiver's behaviour. In this context, smoking is prohibited, even if the receiver wants to have a cigarette.

Suggestive

The combination of a cigarette and lungs sets off feelings within the receiver. It represents an appeal to stop smoking for reasons of health, regardless of time or place.

BASIC SIGNS

The Square

"In studying morphological.. We have already recognised the primary characteristics of this sign: a symbolic object, boundaried property, also a dwelling place with the feeling of floor, ceiling, walls, protection"

"With the square standing on its corner we come into the field of oblique lines. The view of this sign disquieting, and its position on its point indicates a certain intention, which is why this form is used as the ideal background for traffic sign, especially in the United Sates." - (Fruitiger, 1989, p. 43)

The Triangle

"If we place he triangle vertically on its apex, it obtains a direction giving character, with movement transferred from the vertical to the horizontal. The simple triangle is therefore much used as a direction sign, which succeeds so long as the directions are horizontal, left or right."

"Triangle with a horizontal side form ideal backgrounds for signals (road signs, etc.) because of their symmetry. The triangle with horizontal based conveys an impression of stability and permanence, like a pyramid. It is also the symbol for the expression "wait" rather like a mountain, whose inly active function is to suffer erosion" - (Fruitiger, 1989, p. 44)

The Circle

"Modern humans probably have a more spontaneous relationship with straight line than with the curve. Daily encounters with level ground and with all kinds of cinstructions are primarily based in the twi principles of horizontal and vertical. We appreciate rounded forms with the senses rather than the mind." - (Fruitiger, 1989, p. 45)

"The feelings are addressed more strongly by the circle than by any other sign. Depending on their character the viewers will place themselves either inside or outside the circle.

Enclosure becomes disquieting and is felt as claustrophobia." - (Fruitiger, 1989, p. 46 - 47)

The Arrow

"When two oblique lines come together to form an angle, the expression of a movement or direction is produced in some form. Angles pointing to right or left have a stronger movement than those pointing up or down, for the obvious reason that human movement is normally on a level. (Only in elevators does the vertically placed arrow obtain a clear ex-pression of movement up or down.)" - (Rand, 1989, p.48)

PENTAGRAM'S WAYFINDING SOLUTION FOR LCC

F.H. STINGEMORE - LONDON UNDERGROUND SYSTEM/1919
The geographical route guide designed by F.H. Stingmore. It was in use from about 1919 until replaced by Beck's diagram in 1933.

HARRY BCK - LONDON UNDERGROUND SYSTEM/1933

There were two radical concepts present in Becks design, which have been incorporated in all subsequent versions of diagram, right up to the present day. They were:

1) The enlargement of the central area of the underground system in relation to the outlying areas, so that the complicated connexions at the centre could be more clearly shown.

2) The limiting of the direction of route lines to verticals, horizontals, and 45 degree diagonals. This abandonment of geographical accuracy was a revolutionary idea.

MASSIMO VIGNELLI - NEW YORK SUBWAY/1972
In 1968, Unimark International was commissioned to design a sign system for the subways, and out of this chaos came order. Two Unimark designers, Bob Noorda and Massimo Vignelli, developed a signage plan based on a simple principle: deliver the necessary information at the point of decision, never before, never after.

Four years later, Vignelli introduced a new subway map. It was based on principles that would be familiar to anyone who appreciated the legendary London Underground map designed in 1933 by Henry Beck. Out with the complicated tangle of geographically accurate train routes. No more messy angles. Instead, train lines would run at 45 and 90 angles only. Each line was represented by a colour. Each stop represented by a dot.

NYC - GRAPHIC STANDARDS MANUAL

MEXICO CITY / METRO SIGNS - LANCE WYMAN
In November - Travel and Transport issue of creative Review there is an exclusive extract from a new book by Unit Editions where they examine the significance of Lance Wyman's Mexico City Metro wayfinding project.