Luoyang school logo signage production is not only a street sign, but also a cultural business card of the campus

Recently, I was chatting with teachers in the logistics offices of several schools in Luoyang, and I found that everyone is paying more and more attention to campus signs and signs. I used to think that they were just guide signs, but now it is different. Walking on the campus in Luoyang, from century-old schools to newly built branches, those signs and signs are quietly speaking - they not only tell you "go to the left of the teaching building", but also convey the temperament, heritage and warmth of a school.

Gotta figure it out first: Who exactly does school signage serve?

I have been thinking about this for a long time. On the surface, the sign is for visitors - parents coming for a parent-teacher conference for the first time, teachers from other schools coming to communicate, leaders inspecting work, and making sure people don't get lost. But this is only the most basic. On a deeper level, it is used by all teachers and students in the school every day. Students rush to class, teachers go to meetings with information, which intersection should be given instructions, and which corner is easy to get confused. Without living on campus for a period of time, these details cannot be designed at all.

I have seen some schools that hired a well-known design company. The signs they made looked very artistic individually, but there were problems when they were installed. For example, the logo for the primary school section had elegant running script fonts, which made it difficult for lower grade children to recognize it. ； The color is high-grade gray, which makes it difficult to see clearly from a distance. This is because the main service target has not been clearly understood. A good school sign should be like a silent and thoughtful guide, taking into account people of different heights (especially children), different needs, and even different mobility abilities.

How can the flavor of Luoyang be integrated into the sign?

This is the most interesting part, where is Luoyang? The ancient capital of thirteen dynasties has such a strong cultural foundation that it can be written in ink, but you cannot directly make the signboard into an antique stone tablet, that would be too deliberate. The "Luoyang flavor" of Luoyang school logos is often subtle and eye-catching.

I have seen a middle school. Its building name plate has a common dark blue background color, but the border uses a very detailed "return pattern" dark pattern. It is not eye-catching. Only when you look closely can you find that it is taken from a certain bronze pattern unearthed in Luoyang. There is also a primary school. Simplify the peony, the city flower of Luoyang, into a minimalist line icon and use it in the classification signs of functional areas. For example, draw a line peony on the door of the art classroom, and draw a budding one on the door of the library. Children will look friendly and culture will naturally penetrate.

Color is also a science. Luoyang has the weight of Longmen Grottoes, the freshness of Luopu Park, and the brightness of modern new districts. The main color of a school’s signage should best be in dialogue with the campus architecture and the overall environment. There are many red brick buildings in the old campus, so using some dark green or off-white for signage will be very harmonious. ； The newly built glass-walled campus uses bright blues and grays to look modern. What I fear most is that I ignore it and use a set of particularly eye-catching fluorescent colors that will conflict with the temperament of the entire campus.

From design to implementation, those pitfalls that are easy to step on”

When talking to the masters at the production factory, the most common complaint they complained about was that the drawings provided by the school were "not on the ground". The designer was full of renderings on the computer, but when it came to the actual installation, there were a lot of problems. A large campus master plan was designed with a huge amount of information, but the actual wall for installation may not be that big at all, or it may be installed outdoors in the sun, and the reflection is so serious that it is difficult to see the small words.

The choice of material is even more important. Outdoor signage must withstand the summer sun and freezing temperatures in Luoyang. There was once a school picture that was cheap and used ordinary acrylic. As a result, the words faded after two years and the panel became brittle and cracked. Nowadays, it is more durable, such as galvanized steel plate and painted , corrosion of aluminum plates, or thick stone bases. Although the initial investment is higher, it saves worry in the long run. For indoor signs, kindergartens and lower grade areas of primary schools, special attention must be paid to rounded corners, environmentally friendly materials, and no sharp points. Safety is always the first priority.

There is also the issue of information updating. The layout of the school is not static. This year this building is a laboratory, and next year it may be converted into a club activity center. A good signage system must leave some room for replacement, such as using magnetic panels and pluggable movable type modules. The cost is much lower than the replacement of the entire engraving, and it is also flexible.

What is more important than "good-looking" is "easy to use" and "intentional"”

After all, logo signage is a highly functional product, and its core is just eight words.: Accurate and clear, people-oriented , all art design and cultural integration must be based on this foundation. At an intersection, the pointing information must be unambiguous. ； A fire evacuation plan must comply with the latest regulations and be legible at a glance.

But the higher level requirement is "intention". I was particularly moved by the care some schools in Luoyang put into their signage.: Next to the logo in the school history gallery, leave a QR code and scan it in to listen to stories told by old alumni. ； The guides for different sections of the library are not cold "Social Science Section 1", but are accompanied by a relevant famous saying or warm words to encourage reading. ； On the trees in the campus, what are hung are not simple tree species name tags, but observation poems written by the children themselves or leaf pictures drawn.

These small designs add warmth to the cold signage and become a part of education. It tells the children that we care about your feelings and look forward to interacting with you in every detail of this campus.

Who to do it for? Do it yourself or outsource it?

This is also a question often asked by schools. If the school has a strong art team and logistical technical force, it can lead the design by itself and find a reliable local factory to produce it. Of course, it will best suit your needs and the communication cost will be low. There are many old factories in Luoyang that are deeply involved in signage production. They are familiar with the local climate and installation environment and have rich experience.

If the school lacks resources in this area, it will be more systematic and worry-free to hire a professional design company to plan the whole case. But the key is that the design company cannot make plans behind closed doors. Their designers must come to the school for a few days to "spend" on the spot, follow the students on their way to and from school, and see them in different weather and time periods.

The production of logos and signboards for Luoyang schools has long ceased to be an extensive stage of "just have a sign to guide the way". It has become a comprehensive project that integrates environmental planning, visual design, cultural expression, ergonomics and material science. If done well, it silently serves people and moisturizes things silently. ； If done carefully, it can become a landscape of campus culture, telling a story that belongs to this school and the city of Luoyang. Next time you visit the campus, you might as well pay more attention to these "silent guides" around you, maybe you can make new discoveries.