Bristol finds its way with help from Placemarque

Placemarque is creating signage prototypes for Bristol City Council, following its appointment last month to develop a wayfinding strategy for the city’s surrounding districts.

Working to an April deadline, the signage specialist is expanding Bristol’s existing city centre wayfinding as part of the city’s Legible City Programme, originally created by MetaDesign and PSD Associates four years ago.

Placemarque’s strategy focuses on the needs of the districts outside the city centre. It is working closely with local communities to create a series of maps at ‘key entrance points’ to the districts as well as wayfinding signage, says Placemarque director Sue Manley.

The group is also including cycle routes in its designs, which may be rolled out across the city centre.

Placemarque was invited to an open tender process before Christmas, and presented credentials and its general approach to the project in January, Manley says. She is working with fellow director Mick Timpson on the project. The work will be implemented next year.

The group is part of Timpson Manley architect and urban designer, specialising in urban wayfinding and signage.

MetaDesign created Bristol’s signage system in 1999, using a visual language of symbols and legible text. The physical components were designed by PSD Associates, now Fitch London.