Materially Speaking

April 30th, 2013
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Environmental Graphic Designers have a lot to consider when designing signs. One of the most exciting elements that make up the design is the choice of materials. 

Conventional signs typically turn to aluminum, acrylic, plastic, and wood as dependable and serviceable standbys. But increasingly, a host of other factors including the architecture, landscape, project or corporate branding and surrounding environments demand something distinctive. Picking the right materials for a project can: 

 • Give greater character and meaning    • Enhance the architectural style

 • Better fit their context and environs     • Make a special statement 

 • Establish a special mood                    • Convey the impression of

   and ambiance                                       quality and prestige

 

 In addition to their communications purpose, creative graphic solutions can contribute immeasurably to any signage program.

Materials Matter! 

Posted in Branding, Design, Donor, Green Design, News, Wayfinding
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Hawaiian Luxury

April 5th, 2013
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In a fascinating twist on urban infill, ONE Ala Moana the ultra-luxurious residential tower now rising over Honolulu might better be described as urban upfill. The 17 story condominium tower is being built atop an existing 4 story garage that serves the iconic Ala Moana Shopping Center.  

ONE Ala Moana is bringing a new level of exclusivity and urban style living to the Islands. Every detail at ONE Ala Moana is designed to express luxury. Signage and environmental graphics are no exception. Signage throughout adds additional jewel like appointments. Designs respect the surrounding context. Metallic copper accents reflect the tower’s mullion treatments, delicate typography and language that embraces local culture add elegance and grace.

While the aura of quality must begin at the front door, ONE Ala Moana presents an unusual context. To arrive at the porte-cochere means traversing the shopping center’s garage. The architectural team of Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Benjamin Woo Architects and Philpotts Interiors have solved this challenge by creating a rich and inviting front entry with a grand space, rich materials and warm lighting. The ONE Ala Moana brand is expressed with subtle edge illuminated highlights. “Even though getting to the entry is an unusual path, you know you are someplace special when you arrive at the front door,” says Darryl Soon, GNU’s lead designer.

 

The collaboration of the Howard Hughes Corporation, the Kobayashi Group and the MacNaughton Group has proven that the Islands are ripe for their vision. The initial offering of 103 residences sold out in just 1 day at prices that averaged $1.7 million.

“Participating with this dynamic team and the opportunity to once again work in Hawaii has been a luxury for GNU,” says Darryl. Previous projects on the Islands include the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort, Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, Kauai Lagoons, The Villas at Turtle Bay and the Ritz- Carlton Club & Residences Kapalua Bay.

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Paying Tribute

November 27th, 2012
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In a recent promotional outreach, GNU Group distributed our donor recognition white paper to schools throughout the Bay Area. The paper describes how entities can do a more effective job of planning, designing and implementing their recognition programs. In short order, we received a call from Saint Ignatius College Preparatory (SI). SI explained their immediate need for two commemorative displays.

One of the programs is a tribute that tells the story of Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan, a SI class of 1907 graduate who was awarded the Medal of Honor for commanding the WWII naval Battle of Guadalcanal in the South Pacific. Along with the story of the Admiral’s heroic actions in achieving a strategic victory that repelled the Japanese attempts to retake Guadalcanal and changed the course of the war, the display also recognizes SI graduates who are now serving in the armed forces.

The Callaghan tribute includes memorabilia from his distinguished military career. SI alumni currently serving in the armed forces are also featured in the display.

John Ring, St. Ignatius Alumni Director describe GNU’s efforts as follows. “I cannot say enough about the wonderful display that the GNU group designed and implemented for St. Ignatius. The Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan exhibit is the most impressive display that the school has had in its 157 year history. GNU’s team was professional, timely and a joy to work with throughout.”

The other program is to recognize donors whose contributions made possible the new George “Pat” Malley & Gene Lynch Coaches press box at J.B. Murphy Field, and the other was planned as a tribute to SI alumni distinguishing themselves in their military service to the country.

The new press box was a capital fund raising effort and the commemorative display is the school’s way of acknowledging the many contributors.

The Press Box and Stands together cost $1.2 million. An anonymous donor generously made a matching-gift pledge for half the cost of the project.

Marielle Murphy, SI’s Director of Development responsible for making the press box a reality explained, “GNU Group has a refreshing and unique approach to design. They had a great sense of what we were looking to do, and their flexibility and incredible imagination helped bring the projects together and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results.”

Posted in Design, Donor, News
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Class Act

October 29th, 2012
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When GNU received a Request for Proposal for the City of Davis Downtown Wayfinding program we knew it was a ‘go’ project for our firm. It offered a wonderful creative opportunity and chance to contribute to the vibrancy of this dynamic city. However, the RFP included a rather stringent budget. We needed a way to maximize the available funds to meet the financial criteria.

We have been long time fans of the Environmental Graphics program at the University of California, Davis. In recent years we had as many as 3 of their alumni working in our office at one time. We thought that involving UCD could be a viable way to extend our team’s local resources while providing a real world experience for the students. We approached Tim McNeil, Chairman of the School of Environmental Design about collaborating, and he heartily supported the approach. The City liked the idea of an association between GNU, the University and Davis. The City would get the benefit of local resources and knowledge, an affirmation of their support for the University, GNU’s experience, expertise and talent, and a creative way to keep costs in line. They selected our team.

Studentfrom UC Davis

We began the process by thoroughly programming the 24 block downtown area using GNUs Sign Profile Analysis™ program. The students contributed valuable input to the site survey with their familiarity of the City. They assisted GNU with data gathering using our GNU Surveyor App.  We gauged stakeholder concerns and documented traffic patterns, information requirements and potential orientation locations. The result was the City Wayfinding Strategy.

In addition to the comprehensive needs assessment and criteria for solving the City’s orientation and wayfinding needs, the SPA™ included the cost to implement the system. The SPA™ allows us to provide an accurate range of implementation costs for each sign type and arrive at a total budget. Once the City knew the price to implement the program could fit their budget we had a green light to proceed.

Downtown Davis Wayfinding Design Development Drawings

Downtown Davis Wayfinding Design Development Drawings

Our next step was to design the signs to fit the budget. We conducted a design charette with the students where we looked at a number of analogous projects, typographic approaches and discussed the functional, contextual and visual design issues. We conducted several design review sessions and challenged the students to refine their best concepts into a prescribed format. We presented the GNU and student alternative designs to the City’s review committee.

The committee selected the design direction created by student Deena Freel. “Working on this project with the GNU Group was an incredible experience.” said Deena. “ Having my design approach chosen was icing on the cake.”

Katherine Hess, Davis Community Development Administrator and the projects director explained, “Including the students added fresh creative energy and ideas. GNU’s innovative project delivery approach and project management sophistication made our program possible.”

The new city signage will be installed in early 2013.

 

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Office Audit

September 28th, 2012
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One of the strongest trends emerging from the protracted downturn in real estate is to make existing assets more valuable. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the office market. Owners are seeking ways to enhance the attractiveness of their properties.

GNU has long been at the forefront of this movement. Our office reimaging audit has proven especially effective in prescribing solutions for properties that need a ‘face lift’ but lack the budgets required for major renovations that require structural changes. Our solutions inject new life and energy into tired and outdated workplaces in extremely cost effective ways.

We start with our Office Re-Imaging Audit™, a simple process that allows us to understand the environment and define what’s possible. Goals can be multi-faceted including giving a building greater presence and redefining its brand, strengthening the arrival experience, making wayfinding easy, celebrating amenities such as retail, parking and public spaces, and above all, Re-Imaging spaces to add the vitality, vibrancy and energy that new generation workers demand.

GNU’s Office Re-Imaging Audit™ begins with a comprehensive analysis of the building’s appearance, branding, circulation, interior and exterior spaces and other functional issues including how existing tenants use their office space and how the building is positioned to meet the needs of new tenants. We engage owners, managers and brokers to understand market and financial issues.

Office Audit image

GNU’s Office Re-Imaging Audit™ looks at all opportunities to
improve a property’s attractiveness, both inside and out. Incorporating
brand features into a landscape setting is just one possibility.

 

We present the recommendations as before and after renderings depicting the possibilities. The Audit provides the tools necessary to understand the scale, scope and cost of implementing the changes. It includes a report on the Re-Imaging plan with conceptual drawings and design direction for specific Re-Imaging areas. It establishes budgets for implementing each component of the program (i.e. colors, paint, landscape enhancements, lighting, signage) and the plan for phasing the improvements.

GNU’s Office Re-Imaging Audit™ process for infusing new life into tired buildings is both time and cost efficient and results in strategies and conceptual design for change. A typical audit can be completed in as few as 2 weeks.

To learn more about GNU’s Office Re-Imaging Audit™ and how it can make a difference to your property’s performance, contact Tom Donnelly at tdonnelly@gnugroup.com.

 

Posted in Branding, Design, Implementation
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Re-Branded

August 16th, 2012
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What happens when a partner, whose name is on the door, decides to leave a firm? It’s one of the situations that demands rebranding. For a practice in business for over 40 years, with plenty of brand equity, that’s serious business.

img_3291sm

Taylor Teter Partnership recently asked GNU to help with just that scenario. “It’s not as simple as a new name and logo,” explains Dickson Keyser, GNU’s Director of Design. “It’s an opportunity to take stock of all aspects of how a firm delivers its promise to clients.” Your Brand, Your Promise   GNU conducted surveys of staff and clients, provided a critical assessment of the results that led to a new name, visual identity and positioning of the new brand.

To understand the values, culture and behavior that constitute the firm’s brand, we started with an internal analysis with input from the partners, principals and associates. We also surveyed a number of the firm’s clients. The resultant recommendations generated a number of name alternatives that were evaluated in the context of the practice’s forward strategy. Embracing the name of (Glen) Teter, the firm’s founding partner, provided a platform that simplifies the identification, preserves name equity and provides long term continuity, regardless of any future personnel changes. Incorporating key firm attributes in a positioning statement that captures the most important attributes identified in the surveys yielded the tag line, Architecture, Engineering, Connected. The synthesis of these design disciplines from a single source is highly valued by clients and is a critical aspect of Teter’s differentiation. The program included design of the firm’s communications materials.

“GNU Group’s process for taking us through our name change and new name was especially effective at building consensus and aligning all of our people with a strategic branding direction.” explains Glen Teter. “The results have positively repositioned our practice for now and the future.”

 

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La Clínica de La Raza

May 16th, 2012
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The program to standardize the way visitors and patients at La Clínica de La Raza orient and find their way meant developing an integrated wayfinding, environmental branding and signage standards program for all of their facilities. La Clínica provides appropriate, quality and accessible healthcare at 29 stand alone clinics throughout the Bay Area.

La Clínica de La Raza Annual Report 2011

“The complexity of the many locations and the diversity of the clientele meant thoroughly understanding staff and customer behavior,” explains Phil Murphy, GNU’s President/CEO and head of the firm’s Healthcare Group. “We start by engaging the stakeholders through interviews, electronic questionnaire and focus groups to fully appreciate the challenges and needs.”

Input from this research formed the basis for planning and programming, including appointment, pre-arrival materials, website facility maps, integrated wayfinding strategy, common nomenclature and vocabulary, sign hierarchy, languages, procurement, financial criteria and process.

GNU employed our GNU Sign Standards Advantage™ process for La Clínica. The SSA™ is our proprietary approach to institutionalizing signage programs for large users who have expanding and/or recurring planning and sourcing requirements.

The first stages of the program’s implementation are currently underway with a complement of flexible interior information, identification and directory signs. The program has been incorporated into a standards package that will guide the implementation at all locations.

La Clinica signage images

The wayfinding system for La Clínica de la Raza includes
a complete hierarchy of bilingual signs and accompanying graphic icons.

As part of the SSA™, GNU also conducted an outreach to qualified sign fabricators to establish a long term, single source for all of La Clínica’s signage needs. Single source responsibility has proven to save our clients a little over 30% in planning and procurement costs.

 

Posted in Branding, Design, Healthcare, Wayfinding
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Evening with the All-Stars

April 30th, 2012
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Since 1945, Hanna Boys Center www.hannacenter.org has been changing the lives of troubled, motivated youth through faith, education and caring, helping them grow into productive members of society. Hanna provides a “home away from home” for boys who are underprivileged, troubled, and seriously at-risk. Each year Hanna Boys Center hosts their Evening with the All-Stars.

This gala event is a time to celebrate Hanna’s successes and thank supporters.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - Hanna Boys School, GNU’s Derick Lazaro at the Hanna "Fund-A-Need" auction.

Left: Ribbon cutting for the new Admissions and Alumni Building & Hanna Legacy Center. Right: GNU’s Derick Lazaro at the Hanna "Fund-A-Need".

This year GNU had a place in the festivities. The event unveiled a complex of new facilities including a Multi-Use Auditorium, the Admissions and Alumni Building, and the Hanna Legacy Center. The Legacy Center is the prime location to recognize the generosity of the school’s many supporters. GNU designed the Donor Recognition display, a glass and metal construction inspired by the dramatic stained glass windows in Hanna’s Chapel. Donors are acknowledged on individual etched glass panels. The display appears in a glass alcove flooded with natural backlight.

The Hanna Boys Center Donor Recognition display.

The Hanna Boys Center Donor Recognition Display

Hanna also used the development of the new facilities as an opportunity to implement a new campus wayfinding and signage program for the campus. The Sonoma County environs provide the context and defined the natural approach to form and materials that fit the landscape.

New wayfinding signage.

New wayfinding signage

GNU congratulates Hanna Boys Center for their most successful ever Evening with the All-Stars.

 

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Wayfinding Rx

January 31st, 2012
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St. Mary’s Hospital is a classic urban healthcare facility. Multiple buildings are located in a dense neighborhood surrounded by congested local streets with no discernible logic or order to how one navigates the facilities. The addition of a new Cancer Center created the need for revitalized signage. GNU conducted a Sign Profile Analysis™, our proprietary process for assessing wayfinding needs. The resultant Wayfinding Strategy concluded that St. Mary’s was a perfect environment for an Integrated Wayfinding program.

Before and After

Before and After

Integrated Wayfinding means visitor orientation is provided through multiple communications tools including appointment cards, websites, environmental cues, person-to-person interaction, and above all signs. The new signage at St Mary’s uses an approach known as Progressive Disclosure. Progressive Disclosure presents only the information needed to move from one decision point to the next.

A key aspect of signage within a Progressive Disclosure program is the alpha-numeric designation of buildings, departments and rooms. Letters and numbers simplify the information that must be remembered and facilitates multi-lingual comprehension.

A key aspect of signage within a Progressive Disclosure program is alpha-numeric designation of buildings, departments and rooms. Letters and numbers simplify the information that must be remembered. It also facilitates multi-lingual comprehension.

Other program criteria for the new signs included a limited budget that required recycling the exiting signs, quick turnaround, incorporating the Catholic Healthcare West and St. Mary’s brand identities, and gaining the approval of the Hospital’s many stakeholders.

Progressive Disclosure in St. Mary's Signage

Progressive Disclosure in St. Mary




Read GNU’s White Paper on Wayfinding Planning for Healthcare Facilities at www.gnugroup.com/GNU_HealthCare_WhitePaper.pdf



Posted in Branding, Design, Healthcare, Wayfinding
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Welcome 2012

December 30th, 2011
by

A trip to Europe with Tracy,

Each New Year is a time for inspiration, motivation and all manner of resolution.
Some of the GNU’s took a moment to
reflect on the year ahead.

A trip to Europe with Tracy,
PHIL MURPHYPhil
Personally: A trip to Europe with Tracy, vacations with our 3 children and five beautiful grandchildren.

Professionally: Expand our Southern California work and continue to educate the marketplace about our Sign Profile Analysis™, GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and sign program challenges for our clients. Nurture GNU’s Explicit Culture™ and GNU’s future leadership. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and sign program

ART BARELAArt
Personally: Spending more time touching the hearts, minds and memories of my children & grandchildren; painting, drawing, writing & getting published; making my way back out to the soccer pitch; taking time to pause, ponder and appreciate as many views & visions as are still mine to absorb.

Professionally: Expand the GNU Southern Cal competitive edge, building new partnership with like minded So Cal thought leaders in architecture, development and the building industry. Grow GNU Southern Cal into a significant, prominent and sustaining resource. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding

VICTOR BECERRAVictorB
Personally: Get In better shape, eat healthier and take a nice vacation.

Professionally: Help to grow the GNU installation department. Learn as much as I can from my colleagues to help me grow in the role of director of field services.GNU’s streamlined process for

LeynaLEYNA BOOKIN
Personally: Practice & improve my sewing skills. Go camping. Travel out of the country. Take yoga. Do more cooking. See as much live music as possible.

Professionally: Fine tune e our contracting & billing processes to meet the ever evolving needs of our clients. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and sign

RICH BURNSRich
Personally: Continue my swimming adventures and playing with my grandson.

Professionally: Enjoy my emeritus role at GNU by being an engaged, stimulated participant and making a contribution to our ongoing success. GNU’s streamlined process for

HowardHOWARD CURTIS
Personally: Travel more and tour new places with my family. Rediscover creat¬ing art with traditional methods and mediums including more sketching – I have 10 notebooks to fill.

Professionally: Continuing learning on the path of design and defining and digitizing the firm’s vast knowledge base and reference collections, and sustained exploration in the digital wayfinding field. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding

AbnerABNER DAVID
Personally: Play more sports instead of just watching. Even better…play more sports with my 2 young daughters.

Professionally: Continue to streamline GNU’s Health Care Studio program management that provide our clients with pain free solutions! GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and sign program challenges

LEILA FLORESLeila
Personally: Volunteering every week to teach self development classes that inspire and motivating people to reach their potential. Grow/expand my physical fitness program for women. Help expand our E-Soccer programs (coaching special needs children from 3 to 12 years old) through Bay Area Christian Church.

Professionally: Continue to work with GNU’s IT consultants and grow our internal IT capabilities. Maximize my potential by taking on more challenging responsibilities. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and sign program challenges for our clients.

SarahSARAH KATSIKAS
Personally: Looking forward to attending multiple weddings this year and feelin’ the love; cross-country visit to my best friend who recently moved to DC; and my husband and my much anticipated bi-annual trip to Hawaii.

Professionally: Continue to tighten up the progression and finessing of GNU’s breakthrough programming of replacement healthcare projects. Creating more collaborative and fun events as the co-chair of SEGD:SF along w/ fellow GNU Lauren Kelly. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and sign

LAUREN KELLYLauren_Kelly
Personally: Learn to cook better and taking time off for a trip to Europe.

Professionally: Continue to develop the Surveyor App and other new tools for environmental graphic design programming. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and

DICKSON KEYSERDickson
Personally: Greater focus on gardening, brewing, showing photography, riding bike to work, surf days and hiking with the family.

Professionally: Grow GNU’s Donor Recognition practice through continued work with exceptional educational and healthcare clients. GNU’s streamlined process for solving GNU’s streamlined process for solving

DerickDERICK LAZARO
Personally: Focus more on music, writing, teaching my daughter how to ride her bike and family trips.

Professionally: Become more involved in documenting our finished work. Continue to better understand fabrication techniques, provide design leadership, try not to worry provide design leadership, t..so much.
GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding

KIRK MILLERKirk
Personally: Enjoy domesticity including gardening, brewing, basketball and riding my bike.

Professionally: Keep the GNU administrative ‘machine’ well oiled and running efficiently, for our team and our clients. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and

VICTOR VITALEVictor
Personally: Set aside sufficient time for enriching and educating my children, finishing the remodel on our home, and improving and learning our winemaking endeavor.

Professionally: Continue to grow and enrich my client base, improve internal and external processes for communication, planning, and meeting expectations and grow in areas that have previously been beyond my reach. GNU’s streamlined process for solving wayfinding and

Posted in GNU Culture, Observed
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