Project: Des Moines University
Location: Des Moines, IA
Markets Served: Education
Effective Wayfinding for a College Campus
“Founded in 1898, Des Moines University is a medical and health sciences university dedicated to improving lives in our global community be educating diverse groups of highly competent and compassionate health professionals.” – Des Moines University Website
Located just to the West of downtown Des Moines, the university has 1,700 students in 8 graduate degree programs with 68% of the students from out of state. Des Moines University’s 22-acre campus is a bustling mecca, just like the prestigious neighborhood it’s located in. The campus includes underground tunnels, a large medical clinic, multiple educational buildings, parking resources, and a main Student Center at the center of campus. With a very diverse set of visitors which include students, staff, patients, vendors, and alumni, this wayfinding endeavor was a key component to their experience.
Having completed a large exterior wayfinding project in 2013, the interior wayfinding took center stage. The goals of this project were; Efficiently and effectively guide people throughout campus, highlight and enhance the brand through clean and modern design, and provide dynamic signage that could be easily changed and updated.
About the Solution
Working with RDG Planning and Design’s team, ASI consulted, manufactured and installed the signage solution in five of DMU’s buildings. The wayfinding system included custom overhead signs, wall mounted directories, flag mounted directionals, dimensional letters and vinyl applications.
In staying true to the DMU brand, the sign design included their logo on the modular Infinity Series sign system. Infinity allows ease of changeability, modularity, and growth which made perfect sense on this project. In addition to the modular sign design, Online Ordering was established for ease of growth of future needs and re-orders.
The project was installed just before the semester started so installers worked carefully around orientations and campus tours.
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