New, accessible UG-wayfinding

Finding your way independently in a building can sometimes be a challenge. What can make a significant contribution to this is wayfinding. Over the past few months, the University of Groningen, in collaboration with external specialized designers in the field of wayfinding and accessibility, has been working on a design for new wayfinding.

New, accessible wayfinding at the University of Groningen (UG)

The goal of the new wayfinding is to help students, staff, and visitors better navigate the buildings of the RUG and make it easier for them to find their desired location.

When designing the new wayfinding, the RUG has taken into account various accessibility factors. These include font size, color contrasts, font type, and the location of signage. Specific consideration has been given to the mobility of people with physical disabilities (such as someone in a wheelchair or with limited vision) so that they can better orient themselves and find their destination independently.

Room signs have undergone a complete makeover; they contain less information for quicker scanning, the letters have been significantly enlarged, and tactile elements (relief and/or braille) have been added. Additionally, room numbers have been greatly enlarged as well.

Röling Building

Visitors to the new Röling Building (the new home for the Faculty of Law) have the privilege of being the first to experience the new wayfinding. It will later be implemented in the Feringa Building as well.

The new wayfinding was developed in collaboration with Eurorouting from Leeuwarden, in conjunction with Accessibility (a part of Bartimeus, based in Utrecht).

Assistance from staff and students

The desire for new, accessible wayfinding is a specific request from visitors with disabilities. During the design phase, the new format was tested in the Harmonie Complex with a few user groups. The feedback from this group was incorporated into the final design. Another highly requested subproject is improved digital wayfinding, so that visitors can be visually and audibly guided through the RUG buildings with their mobile devices. Unfortunately, it is not yet clear whether this project can be realized.

Information Point Accessibility

Do you have suggestions for improving physical and digital accessibility at the UG? Please contact the Information Point Accessibility at accessibility rug.nl.

This article was published by the Faculty of Law.