Olympia's Community Livability and Public Safety (CLPS) Committee reviewed a wayfinding project that aims to transform the city's visual communication and navigation experience.
Kellie Braseth, Strategic and Communications Director, introduced the citywide wayfinding master plan project at the CLPS meeting on Wednesday, April 16. She explained that Olympia has been working on it for about a year.
In 2024, the city requested a proposal to create a guiding document for wayfinding in Olympia. Braseth said the current wayfinding in the city was insufficient, with inadequate signage for downtown, city entrances, West Olympia and neighborhoods.
A selection team, including staff from various city departments, reviewed 12 proposals, interviewed six firms, and ultimately selected Tangram Designs LLC.
According to Braseth, the Colorado-based firm had engaged the community through stakeholder events at Olympia City Hall in June, November and February. The team visited Olympia, talked to council members and conducted community engagement to shape the signage concepts.
Representatives of Tangram Designs presented three wayfinding concepts, each incorporating community feedback and environmental inspiration.
Concept One showcases a sculptural, three-dimensional wayfinding design that blends Olympia's natural landscape and cultural diversity.
Featuring a single pole structure with color-coded medallions, the design incorporates topographic patterns and wrought iron elements that reflect the city's terrain and history. The concept provides a flexible canvas for tribal and local artwork, with a commitment to collaborate directly with tribes.
Concept Two was inspired by water's fluid movement. Featuring curved shapes and circular elements resembling bubbles or ripples, the concept strategically used the "O" motif to highlight the city's name.
Colors were used to highlight directional arrows and emphasize neighborhood identity. Each sign offered space for community-specific imagery that could showcase local culture and artistic expression.
Concept Three presented a simplified wayfinding system with curved corners to create a welcoming and approachable design. Referencing Olympia's water landscape, the design prioritized functionality, while incorporating strategies to discourage vandalism. The concept also featured space for local artwork and used medallions and neighborhood-specific colors to integrate visual design.
According to Matthew Delade, Trangram technical design director, stakeholders and community engagement overwhelmingly favored Concept One, with six out of 13 stakeholders votes and a top ranking in the Engage Olympia platform.
Delade added the participants praised the design's natural elements, vibrant colors, neighborhood medallions and potential for local arts integration.
However, some concerns were raised about color choices, text legibility,and potential maintenance challenges with pole structures.
Committee member Clark Gilman offered support for Concept One. He appreciated its artistic, three-dimensional approach and departure from traditional signage.
Olympia Mayor and committee member Dontae Payne also appreciated the incorporation of local history, arts and practical considerations like graffiti prevention and maintenance challenges. He preferred both Concept One and Concept Three and inquired about the possibility of blending the two concepts.
Tangram Designs' creative director George Lim was receptive to Payne's suggestion, as he emphasized the team's flexibility and openness to feedback.
The committee also reviewed three concept designs for the city's gateway signage, including horizontal and vertical options for primary and secondary entrances.
The proposed gateway signs are designed to serve as visual markers for both primary and secondary entrances.
The first gateway design concept features round poles inspired by Olympia's mountain landscape and musical heritage. It is intended for prominent locations like roundabouts along Plum Street and 14th Avenue.
Layered letter forms spelling "Olympia" symbolize the community's diversity. The design also incorporates natural elements, such as vegetation and stones, connecting the structure and the city's outdoor environment.
Concept Two draws inspiration from Olympia's water and sound waves, featuring an undulating structure with layered letters. The design incorporates see-through elements to highlight the city's natural beauty, allowing views both in front and behind the structure. A cedar wood box planter reflects the area's forestry and lumber history.
The third gateway offers a modern, fluid gateway design inspired by water's movement. It features dimensional bars that create a sense of flow, with colors suggesting water's dynamic nature.
From different angles, the design reveals layered complexity: front-facing colors generate fluidity, while the side view shows flowing bars with integrated letters.
The vertical gateway designs offer a compact, refined alternative for secondary city entrances. It is intended for smaller, less prominent locations.
The committee recommended that the Public Works Department be involved in further exploring these concepts to ensure gateway signs are appropriately located and maintenance feasibility is considered.
The committee unanimously approved moving forward with Concept One for wayfinding signage to the city council, with the desire to also showcase Concept Three.
The committee also recommended a further review and refinement of the gateway signage designs.
7 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
BillString
Perhaps we could get the roads fixed before we fix the street signs. Or fix the homeless problem. Or anything else, really.
Friday, April 18 Report this
Southsoundguy
These signs are a blight.
Friday, April 18 Report this
TheGreatAnon
Oh FFS! What material problem is this little boondoggle trying to fix? Has our City Council not heard of Google maps let alone street signs? Besides, such signage already exists. This reeks of a make-work program fueled by some vague sense of insecurity. (Think the Monorail episode of The Simpsons)
Look, by all indications economic hard times are coming. Were the City awash in cash this would still be a dumb idea but with known City budgets shortfalls looming this borders on fiscal malpractice.
Saturday, April 19 Report this
peterpumpkinhead
I’m all for projects that enhance and make Olympia a unique place, but I’m skeptical that the “wayfinding” project qualifies. I would prefer the city addressed the condition of the downtown core. While there are great shops and restaurants there, the buildings in which they are housed look shabbby and unkempt. How about a program to encourage building owners to meet an appearance standard? Or perhaps make parking easier by creating a central or convenient “car park” as they do in many small towns in England. Projects such as those would encourage more visitation/shopping, benefitting downtown retailers and restaurateurs.
I think there are better ways to spend money on aesthetics/livability than “wayfinding”. It seems unnecessary and a tad pretentious.
Saturday, April 19 Report this
MrCommonSense
We always seem to forget that whatever we build we have to maintain. We have lots of park land that hasn't been improved, we have lots of parks that need improvements and maintenance. Our streets and sidewalks are falling apart and every city department wants more money. We have a half baked parking system, no parking at busy times downtown and a still a serious homeless problem. I have no objection to a few attractive entry signs. The addition of the signage may benefit the City if it makes it more attractive to visitors and they come and spend money. However, it seems these things get created and then NOT maintained and become unattractive, not to mention they will go "out of style". Maybe we could spend the money elsewhere or there could be commercial sponsors/downtown businesses and neighborhood associations who would be willing to take on this project. I'm all for beautification of the City if it's organic. Unfortunately the City has another consultant being paid to build something when these funds could probably be more appropriately allocated. It again reminds me of the many "parking studies" the City has completed with no action ever taken.
Thanks for listening.
Saturday, April 19 Report this
MrCommonSense
In Europe, many cities have found that too many signs, specifically traffic and directional signs distract drivers more than they help. If we are considering re-signing the city, we should be looking to remove half of the traffic signs which cause more accidents than they are designed to prevent. The maintenance we save on the traffic signs might actually pay for this project!
Saturday, April 19 Report this
Snevets
@peterpumpkinhead Agreed! I think one of the first things that should happen in regards to gateways is the tunnel coming up to the Capitol (dark, dismal) the litter strewn ramps leading into the city & the very neglected bridge and totems on Capitol So. from Tumwater!
Sunday, April 20 Report this