West Hall is the main arts building on CCAC's Allegheny Campus. I spent a lot of time in West Hall while studying graphic design at CCAC, but it took me multiple semesters to learn how to navigate the building because of how confusing the layout of the building is. Seeing a need for a better wayfinding system, I designed one myself. I focused on making directions easy to give and follow, making information easy to find at a glance, and having clearly marked areas and amenities.
Since West Hall is mostly devoted to classes in the arts and humanities, I developed the directory to be bold and eye-catching. I color-coded labels for each floor to more easily recognize what floor one is on. I also assigned a cardinal direction for each wing to better orient oneself around the circular balcony in the center of each floor.
The main directory is meant to be placed in the center of the first floor entryway, with a counterpart on each floor by the main staircase. I designed the directory to show a summary of what is found on each floor, with more detail included depending on what floor the directory is on. I organized this information by wing, including symbols to important amenities for quick legibility. For the sign above each wing, I included symbols for which classes can be found as well as which room numbers are down that hall.
To make it easier to find certain classrooms and amenities, I developed a simple symbol system to represent each type of class available in the building, including subjects such as art, music, theatre, English, and philosophy. I also created specific symbols for public amenities such as the elevator, stairs restrooms, library, and nursing room.
