Creative Road Markings

Another idea I have had on what to explore for my wayfinding brief is road markings. At first, road markings seem incredibly dull and unimaginative, which is mostly true. However, there are some examples I have found that take a much more creative approach to it. 

This is a very clever way of combining 2D and 3D design. From this I could design road markings of my own that combine the two mediums. This design focuses less on practicality and more on humour and aesthetics.

This is a unique system of wayfinding using thick painted strips of colour guiding the user to each destinations effectively and easily. This is a really effective system of wayfinding as it physically leads the user to their desired location without any user error. The user simply needs eyes and feet to use it.

This is an installation at the Plaza del Torico in Spain. This examples is less about finding a location as the lights don't actually lead anywhere but it is a good idea for a wayfinding system. As well as looking aesthetically pleasing, the main advantage of this system is that it is hugely effective at night time, A lot of signage around today have the disadvantage of not being legible in the dark without a light shining on it, e.g. road signs and road markings.

I can use this in my own project by coming up with a system that works effectively in both light and dark environments using light and/or reflectors.

These are examples of road markings in Asia. What I like about these markings is the characters and typeface used. The lettering is a lot more clean and structured than road markings in this country. In my project, I will be considering the typeface used as well as the method in which the markings will be applied. This method will have a strong influence on the outcome in terms of cleanliness and other aesthetics.

These images above are examples of what I aim to fix. The reason I took an interest in road markings is because, during my primary research walking around Leeds, I noticed that all the road markings seen all over the country are very effective but they don't have enough consideration for the quality of aesthetics as there are faults, mistakes and rough edges. I aim to smooth out these rough edges using alternate typefaces and methods of application.

Taking influence from all the examples of creative wayfinding systems, I will be producing my own to work in a specific environment. At the moment, my interest falls in road markings so i will be exploring the environment of roads themselves and how the wayfinding can be creatively designed.