ABSTRACT
Since the 1960s, wayfinding has been seen as the purview of the graphic designer rather than the architect. Overt measures such as signage that are meant to facilitate wayfinding are often an afterthought that signals the failure of the architecture itself to assist the user in navigating the building or urban environment in an intuitive manner. As universal design becomes more commonplace, the provision of unobtrusive wayfinding measures will become increasingly important. The person with partial sight, or mobility challenges, will need clear and direct path clues that are not relying upon signage. The design of large hospitals, and other institutions that cater to the elderly or disabled, is a special wayfinding design challenge. Unobtrusive wayfinding is a particular challenge for twenty-first-century designers, as the structures that are now possible due to digital fabrication are potentially more complex. Even blobitecture will not be exempt. Fortunately architectural color is now acceptable, as are the hyper-surface and richly textured facades. This expansion of the architectural palette makes the achievement of successful integrated wayfinding possible. The advent of responsive and reflective soft architecture, with integrated media walls, complete with participantactivated sound, promises to be a brave new world where architecture personally greets and guides the visitor. Wayfinding will then become the responsibility of the architecture itself on a case-by-case, need to know basis.
