Airports Council International North America ACRP Report 52 Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside
Presented By: Jim Ha...
Airports Council International North America ACRP Report 52 Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside
Presented By: Jim Harding October 16, 2011
Gresham Smith and Partners
Objective
ACRP’s stated objective for this handbook:
“To facilitate the safe and efficient movement of passengers within each airport and from one airport to another through the uniform application of wayfinding best practices and common design criteria.”
Research Team
The GS&P research team was comprised to address 4 key functional areas: Experienced wayfinding
design professionals from
GS&P. Sign research design and evaluation experts from the Texas Transportation Institute and Human Factors North, Inc. Aviation technology experts from Big Sky, Inc. Key stakeholder representatives – Craig Berger with SEGD and Tom Esch from SJC.
Research
Literature Research Included over 1500
120 documents
pages
Surveys Airports Large,
Design
Medium and Small Hub Airports
Professionals
Current graphic standards developed by specific airports
Organization
Information organized into logical sections 1.
Introduction 2. Signing Process Wayfinding Strategy
studies and industry surveys clearly show the number one factor that impacts the passenger wayfinding experience is the role of the architectural configuration.
Who & Why?
Who & Why
Big Picture - Begins with Airport Design Roadway
BOS
– Driver expectations and road design
DFW
Who & Why?
Big Picture - Begins with Airport Design Terminal &
Passenger Expectations
Who & Why?
Airport Operators Handbook
to consult as they review, update, enhance, or develop their airport wayfinding and signing plan. While several large airport operators have established graphic standards and maintain and update these standards on a regular basis, not all airport operators have the staff or resources to do so.
Who & Why?
Design Consultants The
needs, problems, issues, and solutions can vary greatly between the airport roadway and the airport terminal Designers like to design, but need to uniformly apply the wayfinding best practices and common design
Airports can benefit by making sure their consultants and planners use this handbook
The Why behind the What
Inevitably an airport will encounter a wayfinding challenge that is not specifically addressed. Chapter 2 is written to help airports understand the “why” that drives the “what”
will determine corrective action(s) that can be prioritized several ways: Cost
– Least expensive to most expensive Time – Short-term solutions versus long-term solutions Benefit – What level of improvement will each change yield A
cost/benefit analysis will help get buy-in
Chapter 2 – Signing Process
Buy In Who?
Senior Management Why? Funding typically part of CIP How? Business Value Lost Passengers
= Lost Revenue Improving the Bottom Line Competition
Lost passengers = Lost revenue
Complex spaces Passenger frustration that results from a difficult wayfinding experience creates high levels of stress
Improving the Bottom Line
Roadway – using highly retro reflective sign faces can reduce and in many cases eliminate the need for external illumination. This saves both electricity and maintenance costs.
DFW
Improving the Bottom Line
TPA
Parking –an integrated Parking Guidance System (PGS) helps motorist find preferred parking easily and efficiently. This can increase parking revenues and save staff time managing parking products.
Improving the Bottom Line
Terminal –advances in LED lighting technology over other light sources like fluorescent yield significant savings in both energy consumption and reduced maintenance costs.
Images courtesy of Insight Lighting
Philosophy
1. Begins with Airport Design 2. Wayfinding is a building system 3. Wayfinding Logic
Philosophy - Wayfinding Logic
1. Connector 2. Districts 3. Landmarks 4. Streets
Why?
Why do you develop a wayfinding strategy? To
improve the passenger experience
Also…
Because Things Change
Ripple Effect Tendency
to focus only on the extent of the changes, but airports also must understand what the true impact zone is on the wayfinding system Affects scope and cost
Case Study - TPA
Extents of Construction
Oversized Vehicles
Terminal
Case Study - TPA Remote Rental Cars
Oversized Vehicles
Extents of Construction
Wayfinding Scope
Terminal
Additional Research
1. Update the library of aviation symbols based on empirical testing and research
2. MUTCD to develop a section to meet the needs of vehicular wayfinding at airports.
