Taking comments and questions from professors, students and University officials, Brian Pearce — design director of the Wayfinding Project — unveiled on Thursday final design plans of campus signs ranging from “the timeless and classic to the hip and vibrant” in a presentation in the Energy, Coast and Environment Building. Pearce, of Sasaki and Associates — an architectural planning firm in Boston — teamed up with Facility Services nine months ago to completely re-design the          on-campus signs composing the University’s wayfinding system.”Wayfinding is an orderly system that helps people find their way on campus,” said Jason Soileau, assistant director of facility development. “It’s building signs, street signs, traffic signs and informational kiosks.”In addition to directing people in a very clear way, he also wanted to incorporate University tradition, cultural character and school spirit into the signs, Pearce said.The design plans include LSU-purple street and building signs, banners to adorn street lights and four-sided informational kiosks to be placed throughout the campus. “There is a lack of acknowledgment of the LSU brand, colors and spark,” Pearce said of the signs currently labeling campus. Landmarks like Alex Box Stadium, Tiger Stadium and the visitors center will be featured on many directional signs to improve visitors’ experiences while driving or walking through campus.When Pearce visited the University for the first time six months ago, he couldn’t find his way around using the current directional signs. “What we have on campus is visual clutter,” Soileau told The Daily Reveille on Oct. 10. “It’s very confusing if you are a visitor.”University “gateways” will also be re-designed. Pearce said the north and south gates of campus, although historic and beautiful, don’t clearly communicate to drivers that they are entering campus. Cut-iron signs visible at eye level, reading “Louisiana State University” will be added near the gates. Other University “gateways,” will have their own style of welcome sign. The “gateway” at Nicholson and Burbank drives will have a similar cut-iron sign reading “Louisiana State University” as well as a digital screen — for videos, pictures and announcements — next to it. Another gateway, at Nicholson Drive and the Nicholson Extension, will feature large 3D letters spelling “LSU.” Pearce said he thinks people will want to take pictures by the sign on special occasions like football games or graduation and  it will be a campus “icon.” He said he’s looking into ways to protect the large letters from vandalism, like a thick border of shrubbery. The design plans also include signs that will more clearly define bike trails and make Easy Street gates more welcoming to visitors. The next step in the process is a “mock-up” phase, when several new signs will be produced and set up around campus to test their look and functionality. Soileau said he is hopeful the “mock-up” phase will begin in mid-January and the finalizing of designs and measurement guidelines will be completed in March 2009. Before implementation can begin, certified engineers in Louisiana will review the materials and measurements to make sure they’re hurricane proof. Soileau said the project will be implemented in phases and hopes it will be complete within a few years. —-Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]