Darlington Hippodrome - Picto Sign | Wayfinding and Signage (original) (raw)

Darlington Hippodrome

The redevelopment of the Darlington Hippodrome, a well-known and much-loved theatre, resulted in the emergence of a fully accessible building, with a new internal structure and floor plan. High-level changes to elements like the theatre’s main entrance meant that we needed to develop a front of house wayfinding scheme that would help guests find their way in, find their way around inside – and find their way out again with ease.

Character and elegance at the front of house

We needed to make sure that theatregoers were able to find their seats and feel comfortable exploring the new gallery and exhibition spaces, cafés and bars. Front of house we used pictograms, rather than written signage, to indicate the venue’s specific accessible routes and to give the theatre a warm, inclusive character. The use of pictograms also served to prevent visual overload, and ease the flow of traffic with all key signs positioned to be visible when the theatre is busy. We specified high quality materials appropriate for use in a civic building of this standing. All signage follows DDA guidelines and is designed to withstand wear and tear in areas of high traffic.

Hard-wearing clarity at the back of house

Back of house, the signage and wayfinding needed to be both clear and robust. The venue hosts many different visiting theatre companies throughout the year, and they need to be able to find their way backstage quickly and with confidence. We used robust, lower-cost materials to match the industrial environment backstage. We also selected a flexible system for use on the dressing room doors, so that the names of performers can be changed quickly and easily using printed paper inserts.

Architectural vision and interpretation

Our client was keen that the signage in the building should marry well with Space Architect’s vision and the branding guidelines developed by Given London. We worked closely with Williams Design Associates to ensure that both the wayfinding and interpretation were in keeping with each other and appropriate for the new space.