Installation of Outdoor Information Signs on Mita Campus

At the end of March 2019, the installation of outdoor information signs on the Mita Campus was completed. A total of 36 signs were installed near the Main Gate, East Gate, West Gate, and North Gate, as well as at junctions and building entrances throughout the campus.

The process leading to the realization of this sign installation project was slightly different from typical construction projects. For projects of a similar scale, budget applications are usually submitted in the year prior to the construction, and the work is carried out the following year after approval, often taking two years. However, this project took four years to complete. This was not simply a matter of taking a long time without reason.

The purpose of the sign installation project was to achieve "easy-to-understand information signs." Although there were signs on Mita Campus before, they were difficult to understand; some people passed by without noticing them, others stood in front of them for a while, and some hesitated to enter building entrances. Since Mita Campus is visited by many people besides the students and faculty who commute daily—including prospective students, Keio University alumni, external researchers, and corporate representatives—it was considered necessary to develop easy-to-understand information signs. Therefore, it was decided to first conduct a survey, analysis, and study of solutions regarding the current state of signs on Mita Campus.

It was determined that individual signs needed to be designed based on an analysis of "why they are difficult to understand" and a corresponding appropriate master plan. Seeking expert help from within the university, a request for cooperation was made to Associate Professor (Non-tenured) Daijiro Mizuno of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, an expert in design research. He graciously accepted, and the project began as part of his seminar activities.

Furthermore, the Keio Gijuku Academic Development Funds research grant system supported the three years of research activities. It is rare for faculty, staff, and students to work together to solve internal university issues. The accumulation of active discussions from their respective perspectives served as a guide for the direction of the design when requesting specific proposals from professional firms, and it also became an important factor in the final design revisions.

The information sign plan was designed with the following points in mind:

1. Install signs with arrows at busy junctions to guide people to their destinations

While many people pass through the area around the First Building, signs were only installed in one location. It was decided that signs should be placed at the four junctions at the corners of the building. Directional indicators using arrows were deemed desirable so that destinations could be confirmed without stopping.

2. Install signs showing building names near building entrances

Even upon reaching the entrance of a building, there were often no building names displayed, leaving visitors without confirmation that they had reached the correct building. It was felt that building names should be displayed at entrances so that people could enter with confidence.

3. Reflect the view from the visitor's perspective in the sign design

In addition to a flat building layout map viewed from directly above, it was thought that including a 3D illustration from the perspective of someone walking through the campus would make it easier to understand. By visualizing the building's exterior, visitors can use the buildings as landmarks to reach their destinations.

4. Assign building numbers to each building to allow for guidance by number

Many building names on Mita Campus are based on cardinal directions, leading to similar names in the same direction, such as "South School Building," "South Building," and "South Annex." It was thought that assigning a number to each building would make it easier to reach destinations using those numbers.

To realize the sign installation, a project committee was established consisting of members from relevant departments (Administrative Affairs Office, Office of Communications and Public Relations, Office of Student Services, Admissions Center, Office of Correspondence Courses, and Media Center). After sharing the results of the activities with the Mizuno Seminar, discussions proceeded toward the implementation of the specific project. To ensure stable maintenance after completion and safety against strong winds such as typhoons, proposals were requested from several specialized contractors capable of handling both design and construction.

The final design primarily considers the following points:

1. Use of Keio University school colors

Since many signs were to be installed, consideration was given to the impact the signs would have on the impression of the campus. Dark blue, one of the school colors, was adopted.

2. Two patterns of building-front signs selectable according to the situation

There was a concern that installing signs at building entrances might detract from the architectural design. Therefore, two patterns were used depending on the scale of the building and the surrounding environment: a large free-standing sign and a small wall-mounted sign.

3. Installation of bulletin boards limited to "Today's Events"

Bulletin boards limited to information about events and ceremonies held on that day were attached to the information signs on the Main Gate side of the courtyard, where the most people pass. The goal is to make information about ongoing events and ceremonies more accessible.

4. Clear display of AED and multi-purpose toilet locations

AEDs and multi-purpose toilets are represented by pictograms (signs showing facility information with pictures), and the floors where they are located are indicated on the signs at building entrances.

5. Consideration for wheelchair users and those with low vision

The height of the information signs was adjusted to match the eye level of wheelchair users, and universal fonts that are easy to see even for those with low vision were actively used.

6. Consideration of installation locations to prevent visually impaired persons from colliding with signs

To prevent the new signs from becoming obstacles and causing injury to visually impaired persons, and based on feedback that "standardizing the installation location makes it easier to recognize where the signs are," the signs were, in principle, placed on the left side of entrances (if they could not be placed on the left, specific locations were identified with collision avoidance in mind).

The results of the research conducted through the cooperation of faculty, staff, and students are reflected in the master plan and the details of the sign designs. We hope that as many people as possible will find them "easy to understand."