The following text describes Corbin Design’s entry into a design challenge sponsored by Accent Signage of Minneapolis and unveiled at the Society for Environmental Graphic Design’s annual conference in Boston this past May.

High-tech but not hard-edged, authoritative yet subtle, the interior sign system that Corbin Design developed for a hypothetical cutting-edge cancer center draws its inspiration from consumer electronics and medical equipment alike. Layers of translucent acrylic serve to frame the information being delivered while softening the appearance of the sign itself, allowing it to blend seamlessly with the environment.

“Signage is as much a tool and element in healthcare as anything else that patients and staff interface with,” designer Jeff Frank said. “We’re taking consumer-friendly items and reinterpreting their design elements to create the sign system, instead of relying on the interior or architecture for our visual cues.”

Directional signs use acrylic inserts that slide and lock into the side of the sign but can be easily replaced, for economical updating as department locations change. Inserts for the room signs can be laser-printed on acetate sheets that slide into the sign face, making updating even easier for hospital staff. Information fields let staff members identify patients using numbers or barcodes to ensure their privacy, while listing treatment information specific to each patient. This can replace the alert code system that some hospitals use where patient notes are communicated through magnets or Post-it notes on doorjambs and walls.

The futuristic design is balanced by the rounded corners and edges and the tone-on-tone color palette. The visual concept of the system is based on the appearance of a medical monitor or an imaging device like an x-ray machine.

The acrylic used to build the system is ideal in a healthcare environment since its nonporous surface resists stains and is easily sterilized.

The unobtrusive design of the signs and the ability of the layers to be customized to the environment allow the system to be used in other high-tech settings outside the healthcare field.

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