Implementation Of Wayfinding Systems To Improve Spatial Awareness At An Institution: TUT Arts Campus Case

My first day of orientation at the Arts Campus of Tshwane University of Technology (TUT Arts Campus) was a rather confusing time for me, as I had no idea where I needed to go. The lack of wayfinding systems at TUT Arts Campus is little to non-existent which got a lot of first time students puzzled. This is when I realized that wayfinding is crucial to any building and without it people can get lost easily. For this reason, I want to create a wayfinding system for TUT Arts Campus so that it could be a memorable time for general public, first time visitors and both familiar and unfamiliar staff and students. However, in order to create an effective wayfinding system, I would first like to investigate if wayfinding systems can improve spatial awareness at an institution like the TUT Arts Campus.

The problem of this study is that TUT Arts Campus’ wayfinding of all buildings including the faculties departments, studios lecture rooms, and computer centres, cafeteria, administration and library are little to non-existent. Thus, meaning that there is a lack of signs and symbols to communicate the message of wayfinding to the general public, first time visitors and both new and experienced staff and students. TUT Arts Campus needs a new sign system to get it right the first time. By doing this, wayfinding signs and symbol will give TUT Arts Campus a new and updated look. By updating the current to non-existing wayfinding principles at TUT Arts Campus I will be able to decrease complaints about difficulty in navigation. Wayfinding should be effortlessness especially for people who are in a rush to find their destination. Improved wayfinding will change TUT Arts Campus’ reputation for being hard to navigate. Morville (2004) states that the information used in wayfinding systems must be meaningful and helpful to the user. Spatial awareness is also a key in wayfinding systems because it consists of being aware the relationship of objects when there is an alteration of location. Awareness of the spatial connections is the ability to see and recognise two or more objects in relative to each other.

Wayfinding principles and methods were developed to securely and effectively guide the overall public, first time visitors and both new and experienced staff and students to their desired destinations on campus. Getting lost is without doubt one of the most frustrating things in the world. When you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, getting lost simply doesn’t end well, but knowing how to get to your destination from your current location is the issue that wayfinding systems aim to resolve. In an effort to provide for this need, as well as to promote a higher quality visitor experience, and reduce visual clutter, principles of wayfinding is an essential element to the future planning goals of TUT Arts Campus. Wayfinding systems for colleges and universities are key components for creating reliable impressions on visitors, especially for possible students and for guiding them around the campus. There are many key principles that go into wayfinding, but I am going to focus my attention on signs and symbols used in spatial awareness. These are the main features that people depend on when making decisions on how to reach their destination. Unsuccessful wayfinding systems are very challenging because of the time that people dedicate in searching for their chosen location.

Li and Kippel (2016) investigated the common three processes of wayfinding which are wayfinding performance, gaining of spatial knowledge and the development of spatial awareness. They found that environmental legibility and familiarity influences every part of wayfinding. Environmental legibility is more important than familiarity, especially for being spatially aware. Wayfinding is vital in being aware of where you are positioned in a building or in an environment, where your wanted position is, and how to get there from your present position. There are many important principles that go into wayfinding, but I am going to focus my attention on signs used in wayfinding principles. These are the main features that people depend on when making decisions on how to reach their destination. Unsuccessful wayfinding systems are very challenging because of the time that people dedicate in searching for their chosen location.

Currently at TUT Arts Campus, people rely on the staff and students for direction to their destination. This can be a problem especially to potential students who may become frustrated with the lack of navigational signage that they will not return. With good wayfinding systems, people will have a positive experience when reaching their destination. The Sussex Sign Company (2016) states that wayfinding principles and systems were developed to safely and effectively guide the overall public, first time visitors and both new and experienced staff and students to their desired destinations on campus. Getting lost is without doubt one of the most frustrating things in the world. When you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, getting lost simply doesn’t end well, but knowing how to get to your destination from your current location is the issue that wayfinding systems aim to resolve.