I opened up the local paper today and found an ad for our local community college that showcases a photo of the entry monument to the campus. The sign is part of the very first sign program the GNU Group ever designed. The year was 1972 and the system was an early contribution to the professional discipline of signage design and environmental graphics. That the same sign is still standing (they did change the name of the campus from Indian Valley Colleges to College of Marin) is surely testament to something, although we’re not sure exactly what.

The technology of the times was not particularly advanced and the budgets were pretty slim. Our design goals for the program were to create a system that integrated with the surrounding environment, landscape and street furniture, reflected the natural character of the buildings and that was inexpensive and simple to build and change.

The signs are redwood frames with acrylic insert panels mounted on 6” diameter posts. The copy was applied with vinyl letters. Implementing the program gave us our first experience with controlling the bid process. The College included our sign package in the general contractor’s contract. Contractors back then had no clue how to price a sign program so they simply submitted a number that they thought would ‘cover it.” The price was 2 to 3 times what we had estimated and that caused some real problems. We convinced the College to separate the sign package from the general contract. We learned how to procure parts and pieces and I even remember personally bolting frames and poles together to make the program happen.

Technology has changed and we are a lot smarter, but there is a lot about that process that informed how we manage the implementation of our current work, including having our own capabilities to install programs.

I recall estimating that the signs should have a lifespan of 10 years. Thirty-eight years later many of the signs are still standing. We had a similar experience with the wayfinding sign program we did for Stanford University in the early 80s. Our design called for porcelain enamel panels which we explained would last ‘forever.” The University opted instead for MDO plywood in an attempt to save on initial costs. Tour the Stanford today and you’ll be guided by those same signs, installed almost 30 years ago.