Talks and events

This talk by Andrew Barker explores architectural wayfinding cues: the sorts of ways in which the built environment supports us as we navigate. From the obvious: ‘you can’t go that way, there’s a wall in the way, but you can go this way because there’s a door here’, to the less straightforward – but you’ll have to join the talk to find out what they are. Along the way we’ll explore questions such as when radiused corners are preferable to right-angle corners. And we’ll also consider designing wayfinding information so that it is supported by and works alongside architectural wayfinding cues.

So after nearly 50 years of combined experience we are sharing our joy, wisdom and insight for this place making puzzle by writing a book about it. In our book, we’ve broken down the mechanics of wayfinding strategy, from theory to design and from physical to digital. We are not so presumptuous as to think that ours is the only way to design wayfinding schemes, it’s what we’ve learnt and what has worked for us over the years . . . and it really is straight forward.

Join us for this crash course seminar in sustainable signage illumination, with Applelec’s Lauren Flint. Lauren goes back to basics: dispelling myths, busting the jargon and explaining the key features you need to look for in your illumination solution and what that means for your signage/wayfinding designs, as well as for the end user. By the end of this session, Lauren hopes to have given you the confidence to identify the right solutions and talk to your customers about the sustainable benefits of your products.

This talk, by Alastair Somerville of Acuity Design, used examples from projects for Imperial War Museum, English Heritage, National Trust, and Transport for Manchester to show how a sequence of wayfinding materials that pay attention to the active interaction of an individual’s capacities in relation to the organisation’s capabilities can help people to find their […]

You are invited to an exciting, in-person symposium, organised by SDS and SEGD London, with six expert speakers: Veronika Eggar, Simon Kinneir, Liam Proudlock, Rachel Smalley, Neil Smith, Rosie Smith and Alexandra Verdeil.

14 March 2024 (1pm GMT) Nourhan Bassam, author of recently published ‘The Gendered City‘, delved into the challenges faced by women and marginalised groups in urban environments, and explored the need for inclusive and gender-sensitive urban design. She presented a range of viewpoints on understanding and addressing the experiences and perspectives of women in cities, […]

This content is limited for members only Within our member-only pages we provide a wide range of useful information resources including: Recordings of our talks Presentations Academic research papers Case studies Guidance on standards and good practice Project opportunities Join the SDS today to access our priviliged member-only information. SDS members and other registered site users: to choose, […]

In this talk, Urgent.Agency’s Michaela Pihl Olsen and Rose Marie Zeynoun spotlight two aspects that often shape our understanding of way finding and inclusive design. Firstly, they delve into the perception gap surrounding wayfinding: how it is commonly perceived versus what it actually entails. Secondly, they shine a light on a common misconception among designers, exploring how inclusive design is sometimes as a burden rather than a creative opportunity.