Welcome to the Sign Design Society
The Sign Design Society (SDS) is for anyone interested in information and graphic communication within buildings and public spaces, including:
- Wayfinding
- Interpretative graphics
- Brand and experiential/environmental graphics
- Statutory and health & safety signs
As well as raising the profile of our disciplines, we offer members a programme of events, resources and initiatives to help them:
- Keep up to date and improve their practice
- Find potential consultants, collaborators & employees
- Promote their work and capabilities
To join choose a membership plan that suits you and sign up!
Our events
Almost every city in the world show their transit systems as a diagram, and most of those can trace their original inspiration to London’s fabled Underground map. Conceived in the early 1930s by Henry (aka Harry) Beck, his concept of representing curvaceous track routes and labyrinthine tunnels with straightened coloured lines, evening out spaces between stations and condensing suburbs while expanding the centre…have become the standard for schematic styles. With so many new metro and light rail systems opened in the last 30 years, especially in Asia, it’s rare to find a system that has not been presented by a schematic that can effectively trace its inspiration back to Beck. But with passengers reliance on smartphones, and the demand for live maps displaying real-time information, can the Beck effect survive the digital world?
Interested in a membership?
News
2nd edition Sign design guide now available to buy!
The new edition of the guide continues to provide practical guidance to experts and non-specialists alike, based on both best practice in inclusive design and the latest research.
Third party events
Responsible architecture and urbanism aim to address the social, cultural, economic, and environmental impacts of our built environment. It involves designing spaces that promote equity, diversity, and social cohesion, minimizing resource consumption and waste, and preserving and enhancing the natural and cultural heritage of our cities. Through responsible practices, more livable, harmonious, and ethical urban environments can be built that meet the needs of the present and future generations.
Young people are often overlooked when it comes to placemaking, often labelled as hard to reach or stereotyped as the perpetrators of anti-social behaviour in our towns and cities. But young people know a thing or two about how places tick. What if we empowered them to be active placemakers? How might they influence how we shape our places for all generations? In this chat we will explore what would happen if young people were enablers of place. How can we create space for them as active citizens and place leaders today, rather than just consultees and those who will inherit in the future what we create for them today?
Please join us for the final session of the DPU70 Dialogues in Development series, where we will celebrate the remarkable contributions of Professor Caren Levy to the Development Planning Unit (DPU) and to the broader field of urban development planning and urban equality.
This talk will be about wayfinding, waylosing and human navigation behaviours in the outdoors in Norway. Ole Wattne will share his doctoral research about navigation preferences and behaviours and specifically how people recover from being temporarily lost. His personal stories of wayfinding in Norway will highlight the importance of the outdoors in Norwegian society, culture and history.
The theme for 2025 is ‘Creative Conscience’, which highlights the future of materials for the built environment, focusing on sustainability, technology advancement, and the humans experience. Harnessing creativity while encouraging meaningful connections to the world around us, designers can offer more sophisticated, adaptable, and user-centric solutions. The theme not only enhances functionality and aesthetics but also promotes a deeper connection to sustainable living