Exterior Signage. Facilities, Operations & Development University Services Design Services. September 2013

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1 Exterior Signage Facilities, Operations & Development University Services Design Services September 2013

2 issue + objectives The University needs to update a large quantity of the building signage on both campuses, Downtown, Macdonald and Gault Reserve, either because they are obsolete or broken. At the same time, the signage is being reviewed with the intention of refreshing the design graphics, and harmonizing all the different types of exterior signage. A family of objects was created for different situations encountered on both campuses. The purpose of the exterior signage on campus are: To visually orient clearly and consistently campus community members and visitors To provide directions for emergency response personnel To minimize the number of signs To provide a design framework that establishes a consistent aesthetic and quality from building to building To enhance the appearance of the campus issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

3 background The current policy on exterior signage was approved by the University and the Board of Governors in 2001 and amended in This policy could be summarized by the following section of the document. McGill s status as an English university built on private property would seem to permit it to post unilingual English signs. For the past decade, however, most exterior signs have been bilingual, usually with the English text preceding the French. All signs on public streets and all signs for facilities open to the general public (e.g., Redpath Museum) are bilingual without exception. All exterior signs created after approval of this policy on exterior signage shall be bilingual and English text shall precede the French. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

4 background In 2012, BPC and the Board of Governors agreed to retire several policies, included among them the policy on exterior signage, and leave them to the university administration to create and apply. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

5 background In 2012, BPC and the Board of Governors agreed to retire several policies, included among them the policy on exterior signage, and leave them to the university administration to create and apply. The Legal Services Department, based on the increase of complaints, believes that the current policy needs to be reviewed. The French Language Charter outlines the use of non-french languages on signs as follow: Another language is allowed (on signs) as long as French is markedly predominant on any public signage. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

6 background In 2012, BPC and the Board of Governors agreed to retire several policies, included among them the policy on exterior signage, and leave them to the university administration to create and apply. The Legal Services Department, based on the increase of complaints, believes that the current policy needs to be reviewed. The French Language Charter outlines the use of non-french languages on signs as follow: Another language is allowed (on signs) as long as French is markedly predominant on any public signage. Markedly predominant is defined as follow: (1) the space allotted to the text in French is at least twice large as the space allotted to the text in the other language; (2) the characters used in the French are at least twice as large as those used in the text in the other language; and (3) the other characteristics of the sign or poster do not have the effect of reducing the visual impact of the text in French. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

7 recommendations It is proposed that McGill comply entirely with the law. It is assumed that the official names of our buildings e.g. Dawson, Redpath, etc. will appear in their natural form. Brand logo Whenever possible, only the building official name in a larger size lettering normally, no use of the word «bâtiment / Building» and no faculty name or occupant information Street address 1 Arts William & Henry Birks Frank Dawson Adams 853 Sherbrooke 3520 University 3450 University Lyman Duff 3775 University F. Cyril James 845 Sherbrooke issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

8 recommendations In some instances further description will be necessary: Brand logo Building official name, in french in a larger size lettering followed by the English name, half size lettering normally, no use of the word «bâtiment / Building» (but we will include words as «Salle /Hall», etc Street address 2 Bâtiment de génie Macdonald Salle Redpath Redpath Hall 3461 McTavish Complexe sportif Stewart Stewart Athletic Complex Lakeshore Road Macdonald Engineering Building 817 Sherbrooke Musée Redpath Redpath Museum 859 Sherbrooke Bibliothèque McLennan McLennan Library 3459 McTavish issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

9 recommendations All reference to faculties, users and/or occupants will be removed from the Building signs in order to avoid the excess of information. (The change of occupants is one reason why many signage panels have to be replaced.) This information will be indicated on pedestrian or vehicular kiosks at every campus entrances and on the interior main building directory. a family of objects Entrée Milton Milton Entrance Faculté d Ingénierie Faculty of Engineering entrances & gates MacDonald Frank Dawson Adams Wong Trottier McConnell issue + objectives Square James James Square Administration F. Cyril James Faculté des Arts Faculty of Arts Arts Stephen Leacock Entrée Roddick Roddick Entrance background recommendations existing examples other option

10 existing examples English: bold French: regular, twice the size of the English text In these instances, both the English and the French texts are the same size. The English text is bold. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

11 existing examples The type is of the same size in both English and French texts. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

12 existing examples The name of the building is in a large font, and the bilingual specifications (salle/hall, etc.) are shown in a smaller size. French precedes English. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

13 existing examples All signage at Université de Moncton is to be shown in French only. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option

14 other option Everything in French? The other possible option to comply with the law is to do the exterior signage only in French. This recommendation is based on some comments received by the Legal Services, stating that anglophones will be more at ease with having French only as opposed to having English lettering half the size of the French lettering. issue + objectives background recommendations existing examples other option