GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
DG 1110-3-112 May 1979
3-4 BUILDING DESIGN (cont'd)
the overall functionality of the building. Use soft colors in study areas and consider brighter base colors
and accents in casual seeing spaces. In critical seeing areas, glare, brilliant colors and great
brightness differences, both in the lighting system and in the color of walls, floors, furnishings and
equipment, should be avoided.
(5) Signage. Signage shall be designed as an overall building and site system and procured as part
of the building construction. The system must be coordinated with signage required in conjunction with
provisions for handicapped persons. Economy, ease of procurement and installation, and standardiza-
tion of application are important considerations. The system should inhibit vandalism, but be flexible
enough to enable the addition or deletion of information. The use of symbols instead of words is
recommended. Where words are required, use a Ietterform such as Helvetica Medium, or other
suitable Ietterforms. Letter sizes are designated by the height of the capital letters. Typical uses are 1
inch for locator signs, and 2 inches for directional and identification signs (and any signs where
background lines are 3 inches apart). Signs should be located as close to eye-level as possible and be
illuminated to provide adequate comprehension, either by room lighting or by special sign lighting
avoiding reflection and glare. The building signage system should incorporate the types of signs
described under the following headings:
(a) Facility Identifier Sign. This sign should be located in conjunction with the main entrance,
oriented toward exterior pedestrian and vehicular traffic. It should identify the building number and the
facility function (e.g., Education Center, etc.) and also indicate the hours of operation. Size of lettering
and the exact location of the signs should be determined in each individual case in relation to the
architectural design and local Facilities Engineer policy.
(b) Activity Locator Sign. This sign should be positioned in a prominent place for use upon entering
the building and on each floor of a multi-story building. It must identify and locate building spaces, key
activities and personnel and show emergency exits. The sign should also provide a description and/or
plan of features for the physically handicapped.
(c) Identification Signs. These signs must identify restrictions, selected spaces, activities and
personnel, and also reserved facilities such as for the physically handicapped. The most direct and
economical way is by the use of symbols or pictographs. Use sign panels, approximately 6 inches
square, for most identification purposes (toilets, phones, housekeeping closets, stairs, handicapped
facilities, etc.) Use sign panels, approximately 12 inches square, for prohibitory signs (no entry, no
smoking, etc.). When words and numbers are required as part of an individual space identification, use
sign panels approximately 3 inches by 24 inches wall mounted next to doors on the side opposite the
door hinge. A Ietterform approximately 2 inches in height, black on white where numbers are required
and white on black where words are required, is recommended. The number of 3 inch x 24 inch sign
panels for each space will depend upon how much information must be displayed. A symbol sign and a
word-number sign are both shown in Figure 3-10.
3-21
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