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Schools and school districts are increasingly dedicating time and resources to improving their campus environments, and it’s easy to see why. Effective placemaking, coupled with clear, engaging, and consistent branding and wayfinding, offers numerous advantages. These range from fostering campus pride and enhancing safety to reducing navigation frustrations and promoting inclusivity. Ultimately, a well-designed campus environment significantly impacts the experience of students, staff, and visitors, shaping morale and influencing retention rates. Below are four projects where GNU Group is contributing to transforming and enriching the campus experience.
Foothill College – Campus Wayfinding Master Plan
A renowned community college in Los Altos, California, is setting its sights on the future of its campus and student experience. In collaboration with tBP Architects, GNU Group is leading the development of a comprehensive Campus Branding and Wayfinding Masterplan. Recognizing the limitations of the current wayfinding system, which no longer meets the needs of modern students, staff, and visitors, the GNU Group team is conducting a thorough campus audit. They are reviewing the latest architectural Masterplan and working closely with stakeholders through interviews and workshops to establish a clear, unified vision for the project.
The new Campus Wayfinding Masterplan, scheduled for release in 2025, will introduce innovative strategies for enhancing campus branding and improving vehicular and pedestrian navigation. This strategic plan aims to create a cohesive and user-friendly experience for all who visit the campus.
Monterey Peninsula College – District-Wide Sign Standards
The GNU Group was chosen by the Monterey Peninsula Community College District to collaborate on creating a comprehensive, multi-campus sign standards program. This program encompasses both exterior and interior signage. The primary objectives of this initiative include:
- Consistently reflecting the District’s updated brand. Bring better visibility to each campus through creatively designed entry features and campus boundary markers.
- Reevaluate main campus building identification strategy. Develop a numbering system allowing for “future-proofing” flexibility as building functions evolve.
- Enhancing campus wayfinding to improve navigation for all users. This covers campus entry, to designated parking areas, to strategic orientation points and all building identification.
- Ensuring inclusive and safe environments across all campuses by adhering to ADA guidelines and fire life safety codes.
This effort represents a commitment to accessibility, safety, and a unified visual identity for the District. These standards are currently being used on all new campus construction and will be fully implemented through several phases starting in 2025. GNU Group is interfacing closely with Brailsford & Dunlavey, MPCCD’s Measure V bond program management team, to coordinate all of our work and ensure clear communication between ourselves, District Leadership and each of the (3) campus stakeholder groups.
Evergreen Valley College – Enhanced Wayfinding & Placemaking
tBP Architects partnered with GNU Group to develop strategies aimed at improving the campus wayfinding experience for students. Spanning approximately 175 acres, the campus includes 20 key destination buildings dispersed across its grounds. To address the challenge of navigating such a large area, a system of prominent light programmable building monuments and façade badges was designed to enable long-distance visibility of key destinations day and night.
Additionally, administrative stakeholders sought to incorporate vibrant colors and graphics into the campus architecture, reflecting EVC’s mission of educational excellence, diversity, inclusion, and representing its core departments and programs. As part of this initiative, GNU Group collaborated with the school to design and implement 10 unique, custom wall murals, enriching the campus environment and fostering a stronger sense of place for the community of students, staff, administrators as well as visitors.
Stratford School – Teachable Mural
In late 2023, Stratford Private Preschool opened its doors in San Bruno, California, offering a uniquely tailored environment for its youngest learners. The school features bright and inviting classrooms designed to foster excellence in early education through hands-on STEAM activities. Outside, students enjoy a spacious new playground equipped with state-of-the-art play structures, padded turf, and a shade structure, ensuring a fun and safe outdoor experience.
Shortly after the school opened, the leadership team felt the outdoor space could be enhanced further and envisioned a mural to enrich the playground environment. To bring this idea to life, GNU Group was engaged to collaborate on a mural that would not only beautify the space but also provide a learning opportunity for students. Together with the school, the design team developed an illustrative nature-inspired theme centered on the ecology of the Bay Area, creating a welcoming and relatable narrative for preschoolers. GNU Group further assisted in connecting Stratford with a local muralist, Heather Hardison, who brought the vision to life.
Explore our comprehensive list of clients in the Education sector by clicking HERE.
Dickson A. Keyser is a design-passionate Principal at GNU Group with a deep fascination for how humans interact with and benefit from the built environment. For over 20 years, he has successfully fostered relationships with clients and design teams seeking to develop creative strategies and curate branded spatial experiences that connect with intended audiences. He can be reached directly @ C: 415-601-4561 or emailed directly at dkeyser@gnugroup.com.