Big Engine Studios Design Agency

Environmental Design

NEED
College of the Mainland’s new satellite campus facility in League City was in need of exterior branding including the creation of a ground sign, building identification (front highway side and back parking lot side), and the creation of a more welcoming presence to the back entrance where students would typically enter.

APPROACH
I first walked the property and imagined proportions and placement for a ground sign. In Photoshop, I conceptualized my proposed ground sign in realistic form over photographs taking simplistic design cues from the building’s modern facade while maintaining a respectable presence of integrity and aligning with elements of the COM brand. The design measurements considered proportion to the building, as well as a scale that would be easily read for passing traffic at 40mph day or night. Additionally, I integrated a futuristic glow into the design as a means to further enrich architectural styling and brand representation. Lit channel lettering placed on the building consisted of the college logo involving scale, placement and brand decisions. On the back parking lot side of the facility, design and installation included a new blue facade mounted vertically at the building’s entrance, logo channel letters scale and placement decisions, removal of sod and the installation of my landscaping design with large red planters placed around the doors.

RESULT
The signage successfully identifies the League City college branch. The ground sign along FM 518 has received numerous positive comments on its appearance including being one of the most modern-looking signs in the city. On the parking lot side, the revised facade and entrance area creates a warm welcoming and identifiable aesthetic.

ROLE
Research and strategy, sign conceptualization and specifications, branding, graphic design and vendor management