Thefuntheory.com

You may have already seen these videos floating around on-line. Take a moment to watch them and ask yourself what behaviours we need to influence in Calgary's Centre City. Let me know what you come up with. Who knows, we could see thefuntheory infiltrate our city too! 

 

  
  

Comments

[Radley77]

That's great to hear. I would definitely be keen on hearing more about the planning process for Calgary's Centre City Wayfinding Plan.

It's kind of like a braille (another "dot" system) for guiding development of great public spaces.

I think revitalization of the downtown maps that adds some colour to the City Centre and eye-catching lighting would serve both the public realm and be useful as a tool for tourists.

I really like the +15 wayfinding system is great. Easy to find maps that are regularly updated, and easy identification including blue dude in white cowboy hat, and visual cues (fish, fort, mountains, train). In fact, whereas the 'downtown map' appears to be a decade old, the +15 mapping has the future extensions included.

The +15 system does not lend itself well to the public realm due to closing times and small tunnels instead of open 'performance' spaces.

I am keen on designs that that attempt to integrate better with the public realm. In some ways, the wayfinding system, and street furniture associated with it has the potential to define an iconic Calgary experience (Just as many people associate the red telephone booth with London, England).

[Graham]

Radley77, thanks for sharing your suggestions for a wayfinding system!

Your comments are timely - we've just taken the first steps in a project to develop Calgary's Centre City Wayfinding Plan. This plan will look at current Centre City wayfinding elements, such as the “dot” system introduced for the 1988 Olympics. It will also identify attractions and determine what elements will work best for our city (i.e. kinds of signage, use banners, modifications to street furniture, etc.).

I will certainly share your comments with the wayfinding project team for their consideration when developing the plan recommendations.

Thanks again!
Graham

[Radley77]

Thanks for sharing! I think "wayfinding" is something in Calgary that would serve to dramatically enhance the public realm downtown.

It could serve three purposes including 1) wayfinding points of interest downtown for tourists and 'urban explorer', 2) current events such as festivals and 3) also a source of advertising revenue.

These wayfinding could be situated along Stephen Avenue and Barclay mall retail corridor to concentrate a more vibrant retail district. I also think that wayfinding along corridors serves to help delineate that area as a 'public space' corridor and creates a bit of a critical mass to attracting more vibrant businesses and services within that corridor. Less, but higher quality wayfinding points might be better than having simple wayfinding points on each corner.

The current "downtown map" billboards on street corners downtown still have the greyhound bus barn east of Eau Claire and I think the Telus building is called AGT, and 11 Ave is known as Electric Avenue.

This is a example of a wayfinding post in Montreal:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/42/86222716_8f6b6ab3fd.jpg

I would think that a really innovative wayfinding post could also include an artistic component and serve the functionality as described above.