bombay international school

Bombay International School approached us to design a signage system that would work with their newly introduced project based learning model, where students move from room to room, transforming the way they used and navigated the spaces.

We started our process by mapping out the projected circulation patterns, and identifying areas that required identification, directional and orientation signage.

Originally a residential building, the school had grown organically within this heritage structure; sensitively repurposing spaces to suit their needs.

Our challenge was to find a solution that allowed for fixed and flexible identification for rooms; eased navigation within the atypical floor plans and enhanced the user experiences for students, staff and visitors.

Maintaining all the while, a strong sense of place and culture. The idea of using the traditional Masonite clipboard was key to our design solution. It was changeable and sustainable, allowing us the functionality we needed, and provided a language for a signage system that reflected the school’s spirit and sensibility.

In addition to functional signing, this concept allowed for the integration of changeable display spaces for student artworks. A value addition that resonated with school leadership and the student body.

We collaborated further with the students, and worked with them to create graffiti walls for their hangout areas. This allowed them to express their voices, reflecting the spirit of BIS and the sense of place.

The ability to design a functional and practical wayfinding system by carrying forward the simple idea of using a clipboard concept was key to the success of this design project. The stakeholders were thrilled that this design intervention integrated functionality, sustainability and community voice in equal measure.