SIGNAGES

Signage in Landscaping?
As a medium of information dissemination, signs are a part of the
urban environment and landscape, and they are important members
in the category of environmental facilities. They serve to guide the
route for visitors, provide the necessary information and other
functions as an indispensable part of modern landscape.
A sign’s basic function is to communicate a message to the viewer.
Basically, a sign should be unobtrusive, convey its message clearly, be
vandal-proof and weather resistant, and, if lit, not be unnecessarily
bright.
Types of Signs

■ Signboard
■ Direction board
■ Explanation board
■ Publication board
■ Notice board
Signboard
Signboard appears at the entrance of the specific facility of the
park. On the signboard is the name of the park and the facility, as
well as locations, which is intended to help tourists understand the
overall layout of the park and confirm the certain facility and its
name.
Direction board
Direction board generally appears on the side of the road to
indicate distance, direction and time. The purpose is to offer
guidance for tourists to determine their routes and their
locations in the park.
Explanation board
Explanation board is commonly set in the park or
outside the building for publication and advertising.
On the board are mainly word descriptions that
explain the history and construction scale of the
park, or introduce some important ancient
architecture to tourists.
Publication board
Publication board includes slogan board,
exhibition board, bulletin and publication
gallery, which are a kind of facility for
publication and education in the landscape.
Therefore, it is one of the ways to promote
education of ideology, politics, science,
technology and culture. Generally, it will be a
combination of words and pictures to attract
tourists and impart knowledge. Because such
boards are light, small, flexible and versatile,
they save space and money, and create
beautiful environment.
Notice board
To prevent disasters, protect the environment and
maintain public morality, notice is commonly used.
Notice mainly includes warning sign and administrative
sign. Warning sign is set up for safety concerns. Such signs
appear in the dangerous places of a park, Eye-catching
yellow signs are often used to warn tourists.
Administrative sign is for telling tourists about
administrative rules and opening hours of the park, as
well as common knowledge concerning social morality.
For example, a management sign can say to not pick
flowers and to not tread on grass in the park. Such notice
should be simple in design and easy to read, mostly
expressing information through pictures.
Sign Materials
Materials used to make signs should be durable and can withstand the weather.
There are many proper sign materials, both artificial and natural.

Artificial materials Natural materials

Include cement, cast iron, stainless steel,
aluminum, plastic cement, etc. Of these
materials, cement is economical, solid and
durable but too heavy, generally used to
build large signs or make natural-looking
materials with certain treatment. Other
metals like stainless steel are lightweight
and beautiful but cannot be used for a
long time, so they are often set under
eaves or covered with paint for protection.
Include wood, bamboo, stone, etc. Of
these materials, wood can reflect the
nature of plants and match the
surrounding plants, making it a common
material for signs. But wood is easy to
decay, and therefore requires artificial
protection. Bamboo can directly show the
features of bamboo, and is good for
buildings located by a bamboo forest.
Stone is more simple and stable, and can
be put around a rock landscape.
Sign Design and Application
Selection of Shape of the Sign
Signs can not only send message to the public and give introduction, but also serve
as decoration, guide and a way of separating space. Therefore, when choosing the
design of their shapes, we should consider the uniform style for easy identification
and individual features for other purposes. There is no fixed shape, because various
shapes are designed based on local environment and situation to ensure
environmental harmony.
For example, a sign on the grassland made of the cross section of a round wood
makes people feel simple and natural. Publication gallery and bulletin can adopt
straight lines, curves and arcs in design based on surrounding environment.
The forms can be one-sided, double-sided, three dimensional or print. In crowded
places, signs should be set up slightly away from the path so that readers will not
interrupt pedestrians. In summer, signs should also be sheltered by trees. The size of
the sign depends on the content.
Content of the Sign
The content should be concise, simple and bright. It should be
properly designed and consistent with the colors being used.
Pictures and graphics should be the main part of the sign because
they can directly send the message and impress people. When
words are used, the size of the words should be proper and in line
with relevant standards, and the sentences should be concise. The
colors being used and displayed should be highly visible.
Generally, the colors of the words can be best visible when such
colors are highly different from the colors in the background. In
other words, the background color and the word color should be
complementary colors like red and green, orange and blue, yellow
and purple, etc.
Selection of Location of the Sign
The main function of the sign is allowing tourists to easily read the message from the
designer, and that is why a sign should be located at a spot with Maximum visibility. It
should be easily found but not sticking out too much from the environment.
Therefore, the sign should be on the side of the path, at the center of crossroads, the
entrance and exit of buildings and public places like squares, where tourists often pass.
The sign should be designed in a way that the core content of the sign is of the same
height of the tourist sight line. Simple signs can be lifted or lowered to make them
more interesting. In addition, they can be integrated into retaining walls, garden walls,
flowerbeds, flower vessels and landscape. Although signs should be set up in places
where people always pass by, readers of the signs should not interrupt passers-by.
Therefore, signs should best be placed out of the path. There should be an open
ground before the signs for the readers to stop and read. The ground should be flat
and covered by trees to provide better reading environment. The normal height of
human sight line is 1.4-1.5 meters.
Signage in Urban Landscaping?
Wayfinding in urban landscapes proves to be – perhaps surprisingly
– critical beyond basic navigation. Identification and information
represented in elements such as monuments, directional systems,
directories, interpretive and even regulatory signs enrich our
experiences with urban environments.

■ Reinforce an area’s defining history, architecture, and landmarks

■ Give less prominent districts and destinations a much-needed boost
■ Help the public find parking, improve traffic flow and ease the transition between
car, pedestrian and transit use
■ Reduce visual clutter with clear, consolidated and on-brand information and
identity
Functional Groups Of Signs
■ Regulatory Signs: Notify the motorist of traffic regulations that apply which would not
otherwise be apparent. Disregard of these signs constitutes a legal offense.
■ Parking & Stopping Signs: Control parking and stopping and is a sub-class of the regulatory
signs.
■ Warning Signs: call attention to potentially hazardous or dangerous conditions on or adjacent
to a highway or street
■ Guide Signs: Display route designations, destinations, direction and distances to assist motorists
in navigating to their destination.
■ Information Signs: Indicate points of interest and or display other geographical or cultural
information.
■ School & Pedestrian Signs: May be regulatory or warning and are used to help reduce conflicts
between vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
■ Temporary Warning Signs*: Used for temporary conditions, and are orange They generally have
an equivalent with yellow background in the Warning group.
Shape And Colour:
The shape and color of a sign are important as they identify the functional group to which the
sign belongs. The shape and color of the different sign groups are as follows:
■ Construction & Maintenance Signs generally conform to the standards for regulatory &
warning signs except that the warning signs have an orange rather than a yellow
background.
■ Regulatory Signs are generally vertical rectangles or squares with black messages on a
white background or the reverse. Some signs also incorporate red or green. The major
shapes and colours.
■ Parking and Stopping Signs are vertical rectangles with black and red or green messages
on white backgrounds.
■ Warning Signs are generally diamond shaped with black messages on a yellow
background.
■ Guide Signs are generally a horizontal rectangle with a white message on a green
background.
■ Informational Signs are generally horizontal rectangles or squares using white, combined
with green, black and blue.
Specifications
ANGLE : All signs should be mounted approximately at right angles to the traffic flow and
facing the traffic they are intended to serve, except urban Parking and Stopping signs, which
should be nearer parallel (between 30 and 45 degrees) to the traffic flow. On curved
alignments, the angle of placement should be determined by the course of approaching traffic
rather than the roadway edge at the sign location.
Specifications
HEIGHT :Shoulder mounted signs: bottom of the sign 1.5 m above the nearest traveled roadway edge.
The height may be increased to 2 m under special circumstances, such as an obstruction in the line of
sight. Where two or more signs are required on the same post, the height to the bottom of the lowest
sign may be reduced by 0.3 m. For signs mounted on a median, the bottom of the sign should be a
minimum 2.0 m above the surface of the median. On a freeway or expressway, post mounted
directional signs should be mounted with the bottom of the sign 2 m above the traveled roadway edge.
Specifications
LATERAL POSITIONING : On a road with a shoulder, signs are generally placed between 1.8 m and
4.5m, preferably 3 m, from the edge of the traveled roadway. Signs should not be placed closer than
0.6 m to the face of a roadside barrier or asphalt curb or to any part of the shoulder onto which a
vehicle can drive. An exception to these rules is the reduced lateral clearance as indicated in the text
for the R-1 STOP sign. Figs 1.1 and 1.2 show examples of typical sign installations. On a road with
curb and gutter, a minimum of 0.3 m clearance from the curb face to the nearest sign edge is
permissible.
Prohibited Signs
■ Signs Creating Traffic Hazards: No signs shall be erected at or near any public street
or the intersection of any streets in such a manner as to create a traffic hazard by
obstructing vision or any location where it would interfere with, obstruct the view of,
or be confused with any authorized traffic sign.
■ Hazardous Signs: No sign shall be erected or maintained which, due to structural
weakness, design defect, or other reasons, constitutes a threat to the health, safety, and
welfare of any person or property.
■ Signs Resembling Traffic Signals or Signs: No sign shall be constructed, erected, or
maintained which purports to be or resembles an official County, State or Federal
traffic sign.
■ Video Signs: Animated visual messages which are projected on a screen.
■ Tree Sign: Any type of sign whatsoever attached to a tree.
Prohibited Signs
■ Flashing Signs: Any sign which contains an intermittent or flashing light source, or
which includes the illusion of intermittent or flashing light by means of animation, or
an externally mounted intermittent light source. Automatic changing signs, such as
public service time, temperature and date signs, are not classified as flashing signs.
■ Electronic Message Signs: A permanent free-standing roof, wall, or other sign which
changes copy electronically using switch and electric lamps.
■ Roof Signs: Any sign erected partly or wholly on or over the roof of a building,
including ground signs that rest on or overlap a roof.
■ Animated Signs: A rotating or revolving sign, all or a portion of which moves in some
manner.
■ Wind Signs: Any propeller, whirling, or similar device which is designed to flutter,
rotate, or display other movement under the influence of the wind. This shall include
flags, banners, and pennants.
■ Mobile or Portable Signs: A sign not permanently attached to the ground or building.
Guidelines
■ Signs should be designed and located to be compatible with their surroundings
in terms of size, shape, color, texture, and lighting.
■ Signs should be simple in design and easy to read, with the number of lettering
styles and amount of copy kept to a minimum – preferably giving only the name
of the business.
■ Reflective, fluorescent, and primary colors should be avoided. Reader boards are
prohibited, with the exception of theaters, master identification signs in
conjunction with a signage plan, schools, churches, community centers, or
community recreation centers.
■ Signs should be oriented toward pedestrians or vehicles in close proximity.