Jury Award
City of Newport Sign Program
Location
Newport, RI
Design
Roll Barresi & Associates
Design Team
Jon Roll (Principal in Charge), Andrew Barresi (Project Manager)
Fabrication
Cornelius Architectural Products
Client
Newport Chamber of Commerce
Photographer
Roll Barresi & Associates
The key to the program was to first direct visitors to the Tranportation and Visitor Center, centrally located on the Newport Waterfront. This facility has a large parking garage and serves as the transportation hub for buses and shuttles serving all parts of the city. The goal was to get visitors to parking areas as quicky and expeditiously as possible, get them out of their cars and encourage them to experience Newport at its best: on foot.
To make the city easier to comprehend, it was divided into four major districts. Destinations could then be separated by district, reducing the number of messages listed on the directional signs. The districts were further reinforced by mapping and designated parking areas. Map displays located at the principal parking areas and gathering points showed the overall map of the city next to a blow-up of the district.
Pedestrian directional signs then led visitors from the parking areas to the principal destinations within each district.
Jury Comment
"Newport's wayfinding program captures the spirit of this historic New England yachting town in a crisp, clean, unforced manner. This well-balanced solution evokes Newport's nautical and colonial heritage in an elegant, straightforward fashion without undue fussiness or affectation."