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Signs & Symbols in Urban Planning...
Uploaded by Calvin Wong, Jr. on Aug 06, 2015
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INTRODUCTION
We are all physically disabled (1) at some time in our lives. A child, a person with a broken leg, a parent with a pram, an
elderly person, etc. are all disabled in one way or another. Those who remain healthy and able-bodied all their lives are
few. As far as the built-up environment is concerned, it is important that it should be barrier-free and adapted to fulfill
the needs of all people equally. As a matter of fact, the needs of the disabled coincide with the needs of the majority,
and all people are at ease with them. As such, planning for the majority implies planning for people with varying abilities
and disabilities.
Signs
• Signs are used to convey information in pictorial form.
• This has many advantages over written instructions.
• People who talk different languages can understand the same common signs.
• Instructions for some tasks can be clearer when given as drawings.
Signs & Symbols
• Signs & symbols are commonly used in everyday situations.
• Roadsigns, information, engineering symbols, flow charts and circuit diagrams are types of drawings that
you will need to know about for your exams.
Signs
• There are different families of signs.
• These are:
o mandatory signs
o prohibition signs
o warning signs
o safety signs
o danger signs
Signs - Mandatory signs
• These signs are blue in colour.


• They give a positive instruction. In other words they tell you what to do rather than what not to do.
Signs - Prohibition signs
• These signs are circular with a line across the circle.
• They are red in colour.
Signs - Warning signs
• These signs are yellow.
• They are normally triangular but can be other shapes.


Signs - Safety Signs
• These signs tell people of safe places to go or safe conditions.
Signs - Danger signs
• These signs warn people of dangerous situations.
• Commonly found on roadsigns and the back of long vehicles.


Signs
• There are also general information signs used for a number of different purposes.
• Some common signs are shown over the next few slides.
Signs – Kitemark
• The Kitemark is used to tell consumers that the products they buy are safety tested to BSI standards.
• All products sold must carry this Kitemark to be legally sold.
Signs – Disabled
• This is used to show disabled access.


Signs - male & female
• These signs are used commonly to distinguish the male and female toilets.
I. URBAN DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
2. SIGNAGE


1. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Orientation difficulties resulting from illegible

directional signs, street names and numbering
and/or the lack of them.
Pedestrian accidents due to badly positioned

signs.
Hazards due to lack of warning and traffic

signals.
Non-identification of access routes and

accessible facilities.
Fig. 1
2. PLANNING PRINCIPLE
To facilitate orientation mainly for the disabled.
3. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
3.1 General
Signage include direction signs, signs of

locality, street names and numbering,
information signs, etc.
Fig. 2
All types of signs should be visible, clear,
simple, easy to read and understand, and
properly lit at night.
In general, signs should not be placed

behind glass because of possible reflection.
Signage placed on the pedestrian path of

travel are considered obstructions; thus, they
should be detectable (see Obstructions).
3.2 International symbol of accessibility
Accessible spaces and facilities should be

identified by the international symbol of
accessiblity (fig. 1).
The symbol is composed of a wheelchair


figure with either a square background or a
square border (fig. 2).
Contrasting colours should be used to

differentiate the figure from the background.
The commonly employed colours are white for
the figure and blue for the background.
The wheelchair figure should always be seen

from drawn facing right.
For completely accessible buildings, it is

enough to have one explanatory sign at the
entrance.
3.3 Direction signs
Graphic or written directions should be used

to indicate clearly the type and location of the Fig. 3
available facility (fig. 3).
Directional signs need not be excessive in

number, but they should be placed at main
entrances and doors and in places where
changes in direction or level occur.
3.4 Street names
Fixed signs indicating street names should

be placed at a maximum height of 2.50 m (fig.
4). Fig. 4
3.5 House numbers
Fixed signs indicating house numbers should

be placed at a maximum height of 2.00 m (fig.
4).
3.6 Maps and information panels
Maps and information panels at building

entrances, along roads, and on public buildings
should be placed at a height between 0.90 m
and 1.80 m (fig. 5).


3.7 Installation
Signs can be wall-mounted, suspended or

pole-mounted.
(a) Wall-Mounted signs:
Wall-mounted signs, such as those indicating

room numbers, should be placed with the
centre line at a height between 1.40 m and
1.60m from the finished floor level.
(b) Overhanging signs:
Overhanging signs should allow a minimum

clearance of 2.00 m (see Obstructions).
(c)Pole-Mounted signs:
(see Obstructions) Fig. 5
3.8 Shape of signboards
Information signboards should be

rectangular.
Warning signboards should be triangular.
Interdictory signboards should be circular.
3.9 Colour
The colour of signs should contrast with the

surrounding surface so as to be clearly
distinguishable.
The commonly used colours are: white,

black, yellow, red, blue and green.
Fig. 6
The colour combinations red/green and
yellow/blue should not be used in order to
avoid confusing colour- blind persons.
3.10 Surface
The sign surface should be processed to


prevent glare.
Engraved texts should be avoided unless

they are coloured. Relief prints are advisable.
Key plans, orientation signs and push

buttons in lifts must have a text in Braille or in
relief. (1)
3.11 Lettering
The size of letters should be in proportion to

the reading distance (fig. 6).
Character width-to-height ratio should be

between 3:5 and 1:1 and the character stroke
width-to-height ratio should be between 1:5 Fig. 7
and 1:10 (fig. 7).
The letters and signs should preferably be

raised at least 1 mm from the background, to
enable sightless people to read the
information using the tips of their fingers.
The smallest letter type should not be less

than 15 mm.
Normal spacing between words and letters

should be used.
4. EXISTING CONSTRUCTIONS
The international symbol of accessibility

should be added to mark accessible spaces and
facilities.
Directional signs should be added to

indicate clearly the location and function of
accessible spaces and facilities.
Signs that do not comply with the above

design requirements should be modified or
replaced.


Notes:
(1) Not all sightless persons are familiar with

Braille.
Interaction design and

traffic signs
When designing traffic signs it is
recommended to follow the four basic steps
of interaction design: Identifying needs and
establishing user requirements, developing
alternative designs,
building interactive versions, evaluating the
designs.[2]
Identifying needs and

establishing requirements]
Drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and other types
of pedestrians are the users that will be
interacting with traffic signs. These users are
using the roadways for transportation
purposes and must receive information about
the roadways and their destinations as they
are traveling.[2]
Developing alternative
designs
This task is divided into two
categories: conceptual design and physical
design. Conceptual design will be the
discussion of alternative traffic signs and
ways of conveying information to the users.
Physical design will be the discussion of
what physical aspects (i.e. colour, shape,
orientation) will be on the sign to convey the


messages identified during the conceptual
design.[2]
Building interactive
versions[edit]
This task is the actual building of traffic signs.
These can be prototypes of a very low or
very high fidelity.[2]
Evaluating designs
This task is the testing of the prototypes and
actual signs in order to determine if they
convey the desired message in the desired
time by the appropriate users. This will let the
users know the usability of their signs.[2]
Design principles
Traffic sign comprehension and
understandability are higher when the signs
comply with ergonomic principles.[3] It is
recommended to follow the below principles
in order to increase driver comprehension
and understandability.
Spatial compatibility
The matching between the
physical symbols on a sign with the literal
directions/information the sign is trying to
convey. “The physical arrangement in space,
relative to the position of information and
directions.” [3]
 Application: Having a regulatory

sign that informs a driver they
must turn right, have an image of
an arrow that curves to the right.
Conceptual compatibility


The correct association between the
physical symbols on a sign and the
information the sign is trying to convey.
Good conceptual compatibility means
that a driver will know the meaning of a
symbol without having to reflect and
interpret its meaning.[3]
 Application: Having an
information sign that represents
an airport, have an image of an
airplane.
Physical representation
The similarity between the
information that is being represented
and the actual content on a sign.
Good physical representation means
that a driver will experience what is
shown on a sign.[3]
 Application: Having a warning

sign that means to watch for
pedestrians have an image a
person.
Frequency
The frequency that which a sign
appears will determine how
familiar it is to drivers. Good
frequency means that the sign is
used often and that the meaning
of its contents is well known.[3]
 Application: Having a regulatory

sign that informs drivers of the
current speed limit of the
roadway be frequently placed


along every road.
Standardization
The extent to which any sign
can be grouped into a type
of sign with similar or equal
shape, colour and
orientation.
Good standardization mean
s that all signs of the same
type have the same
template of shape, colour
and orientation. Ideally
standardization should be
across cities, regions and
countries.[4]
 Application: Having all warning

signs have a diamond shape with
a black border and a yellow
background.
Singular
functionality
The representation of
only a single meaning
for a single sign. Good
singular functionality
means that a sign that
gives information should
not also imply a
regulatory meaning or
another piece of related
information.[4]
 Application: Having an
information sign that signifies the
beginning of a school zone


should not also be meant to
imply that the speed limit in this
area is reduced.
Visibility
The extent to which any sign can be seen. It
should be visible by drivers of all age groups
from an appropriate distance that will allow
the driver to react to the signs
contents.Visibility also means that the sign
has enough contrast with the background to
be conspicuous and that the contents on the
sign have enough contrast with the
background of the sign to be conspicuous.[5]
 Application: Having a white

regulatory sign have a black
border with a black symbol and a
red highlight. “Solar-powered
smart street signs that light up for
easy reading at night, can add to
readability.” [6]


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SIGN RSW NO:

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

• Signs are used to convey information in pictorial form.

• This has many advantages over written instructions.

• Instructions for some tasks can be clearer when given as drawings.

Signs & Symbols

• Signs & symbols are commonly used in everyday situations.

• There are different families of signs.

Signs - Mandatory signs

• These signs are blue in colour.

Signs & Symbols in Urban Planning...

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

Signs - Prohibition signs

• These signs are circular with a line across the circle.

• They are red in colour.

Signs - Warning signs

• These signs are yellow.

• They are normally triangular but can be other shapes.

Signs & Symbols in Urban Planning...

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

• These signs tell people of safe places to go or safe conditions.

Signs - Danger signs

• These signs warn people of dangerous situations.

• Commonly found on roadsigns and the back of long vehicles.

Signs & Symbols in Urban Planning...

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

• All products sold must carry this Kitemark to be legally sold.

• This is used to show disabled access.

Signs & Symbols in Urban Planning...

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

I. URBAN DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Signs & Symbols in Urban Planning...

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

Orientation difficulties resulting from illegible

Pedestrian accidents due to badly positioned

Hazards due to lack of warning and traffic

Non-identification of access routes and

To facilitate orientation mainly for the disabled.

Signage include direction signs, signs of

In general, signs should not be placed

Signage placed on the pedestrian path of

3.2 International symbol of accessibility

Accessible spaces and facilities should be

The symbol is composed of a wheelchair

Signs & Symbols in Urban Planning...

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

Contrasting colours should be used to

The wheelchair figure should always be seen

For completely accessible buildings, it is

3.3 Direction signs

Graphic or written directions should be used

Directional signs need not be excessive in

3.4 Street names

Fixed signs indicating street names should

3.5 House numbers

Fixed signs indicating house numbers should

3.6 Maps and information panels

Maps and information panels at building

Signs & Symbols in Urban Planning...

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

Signs can be wall-mounted, suspended or

(a) Wall-Mounted signs:

Wall-mounted signs, such as those indicating