A four-year long project to re-do the wayfinding signs around campus is finally in its final stages after a long-awaited completion.
The project, which was funded by the Space Allocation, Adaption and Renewal Committee (SAARC), costed approximately $300,000 for the first two installations. SAARC is in charge of overseeing the campus plans and approving the “annual Capital Project Budget,” according to the university website.
The goal of the re-construction, as specified by Amy Maki, the Project Manager for Communication and Public Affairs, is to “help with wayfinding (an easy-to-follow sign) on campus and at the same time, elevate the UNH brand through profession and attractive signage.”
Over 200 signs were placed in various places around campus, including 100 of them for parking.
“The focus in phase I and II was on parking lots used by campus visitors,” Maki said. “As you probably know, there are multiple parking lots on campus and many serve faculty and staff and others serve students… the priority was placed on the parking lots used by visitors.”
Visitor lots on campus are located a short distance away, too. They’re a decent walk away from the main part of campus, and without proper signs it can be hard for visitors to find their way, considering the farthest they could park is on Edgewood Road – formerly known as H Lot.
Other signs placed include those for pedestrians walking through campus, aiding them with “directional signs on telephone poles, some free-standing posts and a few granite posts,” Maki said.
Key buildings around campus, such as Smith Hall, the Paul Creative Arts Center and the Museum of Art also got brand new signage.
Some were even new University of New Hampshire signs, the most prominent being at the Wildcat Stadium entrance of the campus, or – more noticeable to students – the new one right outside of Holloway Common’s back entrance.
However, the most significant change is the “establishment of the new ‘neighborhoods,’” Maki said, which serves mostly to visitors for a more-simple way to give directions around campus.
The neighborhoods were made by linking like-places together; for example, “‘Campus Crossing’ is where the MUB, Holloway Commons and Huddleston Hall intersect,” Maki said. For those familiar to the campus, they know that area as in-front of The Mills, or near the Quads. Another example is the Athletics and Recreation neighborhood, which as one would guess, is the area where Whittemore Center, Hamel Rec Center and Wildcat Stadium intersect.
But most particularly, Maki says to check out the new illuminated signs in the Campus Crossing Parking lot, near the entrance to B lot, and near the parking lot on Edgewood.
She credits the development of the project and the designing of the signs to Roll Barresi & Associates – a group of people with thirty years of experience in signage. Together they “plan, design, write, and produce,” according to their website. Examples of previous clients include the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital.
The new installations can’t be missed, especially along Main Street, where decorative pennants line the telephone poles with the UNH logo on them. They add color to the campus, and overall give it a new “attractive” look.