Our cities and buildings are evolving—and many contractors recognize this and often offer new services, technologies, and building elements on projects to provide a greater value-add to building owners and occupants. Consider the example of Webcor, which recently released a whitepaper that outlines how general contractors can add value to wayfinding in large public facilities.
Wayfinding is a technique of using various methods to help occupants navigate a space. There are four types of wayfinding: identification, directional, informational, and regulatory. Too often, it is only considered as signage and design elements in places like healthcare facilities and education campuses, but Webcor contends that everything in a building can serve as a visual cue to help people navigate a structure.
Webcor also argues the general contractor’s role in wayfinding is often understated and that builders that do in fact grasp the intricacies of wayfinding can ultimately impact the end user’s journey through a particular space.
The whitepaper addresses things like spatial updating, which is the process through which people continuously update and maintain their mental representation of their position, orientation, and surroundings as they move through an environment. It also identifies various roles in planning effective wayfinding.
Builders with wayfinding expertise understand the distinct categories to consider, such as:
- The ability of an individual to understand where they are based on landmarks and the destination they are trying to reach.
- The ability of an individual to identify decision-making points that enable them to select the route that will lead them to that destination.
- The route controls established that will confirm to the individual that they are on the right route.
- The ability of the individual to recognize that they have arrived at their destination.
- The ability to work with a kit of parts and ID how to effectively use them.
The big takeaway here is that wayfinding cannot be developed solely through the lens of an average visitor. It must consider all cultures, approaches, and individual abilities to serve every visitor.
Another big takeaway is the types of facilities that benefit from wayfinding can vary and include airports, casinos, medical, healthcare, life sciences, hotels, universities, and convention centers, just to name a few. The whitepaper walks through many of these facilities and identifies key wayfinding goals for each individual place, providing examples for each, which is important to consider especially since each facility has such unique wayfinding needs.
Technology can certainly be implemented in these buildings as well to enhance wayfinding for many. For instance, location-sensing technology can be used to offer proximity-based navigation and notification. We are also beginning to see AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) technologies being rolled out or tested at various facilities to help with wayfinding. The metaverse could also be a trend to watch in the year ahead, as it relates to wayfinding in buildings.
Ultimately, if general contractors get this right, they will increase profits for owners, reduce stress for guests, and ultimately secure more bids themselves. Now that is what we would call a win-win-win for everyone involved.
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