Wayfinding: how people find their way in buildings

How people find their way

People use a mix of clues: landmarks, paths, edges, districts and views. They build a mental map as they move. A clear building supports that map. A confusing one forces people to stop, read, ask and retrace their steps.

Good wayfinding starts with the plan

• A clear entrance. People should see where to enter from the street, and the entrance should open onto a place that explains the building.
• A legible heart. A lobby, atrium or courtyard that people can see across helps them orient themselves. At Al Hikma Hospital, a central garden and a glazed circulation ring make the plan easy to read. See also Designing a hospital that heals.
• Simple, logical routes. Straight, well-lit circulation with few turns, a clear hierarchy of main and secondary routes, and no unnecessary dead ends.
• Visible destinations. If people can see where they are going, they need fewer signs.
• Repeated floors. Floors with the same layout are easier to learn.
• Landmarks. A tree, a staircase, a piece of art or a view gives people reference points.
• Daylight and views. Windows and glazed ends of corridors orient people in the building and the city.

People use a mix of clues: landmarks, paths, edges, districts and views.

Signs that help

Signs support a good plan; they do not rescue a bad one.

• Position them where decisions are made, such as entrances, junctions and lifts.
• Be consistent in style, colour, wording and symbols, throughout the building.
• Use plain language and a few well-chosen words, avoiding jargon.
• Make them legible, with a clear typeface, good size, strong contrast and no glare.
• Combine with symbols and, where needed, tactile or Braille signs.
• Offer more than one language where people use more than one. For English and Arabic, signs must be carefully designed so both read well.
• Provide maps and "you are here" plans, correctly oriented.
• Do not overload. Too many signs can confuse.

Colour and light

Colour can mark zones or floors, but use it consistently and not as the only clue, since some people cannot distinguish certain colours. Light can guide people along a route, and bright, clear entrances help people arrive.

Different users, different needs

Visitors, patients, children, older people, people with sight loss, those who read other languages and staff all have different needs. Test the building with them where possible. See also Designing for people with disabilities, Designing for neurodiversity and Designing for the user.

Digital help

Apps and digital displays can support wayfinding in large buildings, but they should not replace clear design, because not everyone has or wants a device and systems can fail.

In short

Make the plan clear first, give people landmarks and views, and then add simple, consistent signs. The best wayfinding is a building that explains itself.

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