The University of British Columbia is a Tier 1 university with a global reputation in academic achievement and research. The 1,000 acre campus features academic, athletic and residential buildings, as well as a mixture of museums, arts and research venues. UBC ensures that the wider community has access to these cultural sites, in addition to engaging educational and artistic events.
As part of a massive $46m programme, Applied completed a major wayfinding project at the UBC Point Grey campus in Vancouver and the Okanagan campus in Kelowna.
The wayfinding system makes cultural attractions, as well as academic and residential locations easy to find. Detailed and human-scale mapping designs allow visitors, students, and staff to orient themselves and plan their journeys.
4.2km squared
71,201 students
350+ buildings
UBC’s rich offering of museums, arts and research venues puts it at the cultural heart of Vancouver. UBC tasked Applied with reviewing the wayfinding for these attractions.
User research, as well as analysis of user requirements and expectations, revealed a lack of public knowledge about the accessibility and offerings of the campus.
Applied worked on a wayfinding strategy that better highlighted the walkability of the Vancouver campus, and raised awareness of the accessibility and range of cultural attractions.
Working closely with university departments and feeding in public opinion and holistic thinking, Applied developed a strategic plan that encouraged awareness, identity and navigation for the campus and its attractions. This plan proposed a multi-platform mapping solution that could unify the image of the campus, increase spatial understanding and allowed flexibility for planned development and technological innovation.
UBC’s new wayfinding system has made all attractions and buildings easy to find. The detailed and human-scale mapping designs allow visitors, students, and staff to orientate themselves and plan their journeys to and round campus easily.
With the success of the pedestrian wayfinding system, Applied was subsequently asked to develop design standards for building entrance signs, a parking wayfinding strategy, campus road sign design standards, and a wayfinding system for UBC’s Okanagan campus, which modified the Vancouver standards to suit the particular characteristics of the campus.
The design aesthetic of the system, with its high-spec product design, clear typography, and custom iconography, complements and expands upon the University’s identity standards, reinforcing UBC’s Tier 1 status.
