New faces welcome students back
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Diversity celebrated through banners
"Well-designed banners can be a very economical way of adding visibility to our sites–and positive messaging for our mission.
Everyone is providing positive feedback, and it was done in time for our open house event that welcomed over 400 students...!"
-Anthony Vargas, College Events and Operations, San Diego College of Continuing Education.
Graphic Solutions worked with staff to design brightly colored banners to create better visibility for the campus, and spark enthusiasm for students and visitors of all ages and backgrounds as they return to campus.
We selected durable materials, poles and hardware to be vandal resistant, with a long color life. Faces reflect City Heights' diverse community where 30+ languages are spoken.
In addition to banners and other environmental graphics, Graphic Solutions re-branded, and created comprehensive sign programs for all four San Diego Community Colleges: City College, Mesa College, Miramar College and College of Education.
Transforming a Blighted, Unused Parking Lot Into a Vibrant Community Space
/New, multi-functional North Park Mini Park offers something for everyone!
Photos courtesy of KTUA
The North Park Community of San Diego welcomed its newest “Mini-Park” in January 2022. This project took twenty years from ideation, to public/private funding to design and implementation and has been warmly received by residents and visitors.
Graphic Solutions, in collaboration with KTUA, designed two, iconic, 20’ 10” tall gateways, which are structural wayfinding features that attract pedestrians from busy University Avenue East and West to this new community amenity.
Each “flame” is made of perforated aluminum with programmable LED lighting. The base of the structure incorporates an attractive, multi-color, glazed tile that is reminiscent of other design elements found in the diverse community of North Park. It includes an illuminated cabinet to post community information and announcements.
North Park Mini Park revitalizes this neighborhood and is an important, flexible and attractive open space that is accessible to all regardless of background, age or ability—it truly offers something for everyone!
American Rescue Plan Act Funds Rapid Recovery for Cities
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Cities across the U.S. have experienced a tremendous loss of revenue due to declining sales taxes as some businesses have closed.
To help businesses stay afloat, street configurations have been modified to allow for more outdoor seating in “parklets”, which in many cases, reduces on-street parking. To keep up with these changes, some California cities are seeking and receiving funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to support these infrastructure changes and recoup revenue.
Wayfinding programs are more important than ever to revive businesses in our downtowns and flexible sign systems can adapt as permanent changes are implemented. Graphic Solutions is working with cities throughout California to develop cost-effective wayfinding programs that support infrastructure improvements.
Thoughtfully planned wayfinding is the “low-hanging” fruit that will drive economic recovery. Make the most out of your ARP program by facilitating safe and efficient navigation. For more information, call us at (619) 239-1336.
New Directions in Post-Pandemic College Campuses
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Many California Colleges are rethinking their physical campuses, assessing how to repurpose or eliminate aging facilities to reduce operating costs. They also want to differentiate their brand and program of learning options, to attract returning and future students. The majority of students look forward to full-time, in-person learning, others want to be on campus, at least part time, to augment their online courses.
To succeed in today’s environment, colleges must look at campus spaces to understand whether their programs truly meet the needs of today’s students or can be put to better use. For example, large meeting rooms may be less valuable today than collaborative learning spaces.
Graphic Solutions develops flexible, scalable wayfinding programs that adapt as needed, while highlighting and differentiating your brand. We do this by establishing a deep understanding about your goals, desired outcomes and milestones in collaboration with your key stakeholders. Additionally, we offer signage guidelines to maintain a consistent aesthetic in your wayfinding program as it evolves.
Please visit us at the CCFC Conference, Booth #35 on Thursday, November 4th to learn more about how Graphic Solutions can support your campus efforts and pick up your free copy of our Wayfinding Best Practices Case Study.
