Vnukovo airport wayfinding
Vnukovo Airport Terminal A is a huge complex with its own infrastructure that serves thousands of passengers every day and millions every year. Wayfinding in the terminal and the adjacent area should be fast and convenient, which is why a new system was developed in the studio for the airport.
![vko navigation intro 01](vko-navigation-intro-01.jpg)
![vko navigation intro 02](vko-navigation-intro-02.jpg)
To take into account all the nuances and situations, we created a simplified diagram of all possible scenarios that shows key decision points and helps understand passenger needs depending on where they are headed.
![vko navigation scheme](vko-navigation-scheme.png)
All types of media are divided based on their type, purpose and reading distance, while automation tools help eliminate errors during sign generation.
![vko navigation mediums](vko-navigation-mediums.png)
The corporate blue color is used to distinguish wayfinding from advertising. Priority information is highlighted with yellow bars and large text, with the rest of the data grouped according to the direction of travel.
![vko navigation color](vko-navigation-color.jpg)
Pylons are the primary media type. At the bottom of each one there is a miniature floor plan which has the current location of the passenger: it helps them quickly find their bearings instead of wasting time on studying the large map.
The full airport map helps plan your route in advance and find places that are not marked on other signs.
Placement of wayfinding media takes into account passenger flows: large pylons do not obstruct the way and are placed so that passengers can see them while standing on escalators.
![vko navigation places 01](vko-navigation-places-01.jpg)
![vko navigation places 02](vko-navigation-places-02.jpg)
![vko navigation places 03](vko-navigation-places-03.jpg)
Large numbers are installed on the roofs of check-in desks where they are visible from afar.
Big luminous signs visually support the architecture and are placed where other structures would look bulky and inappropriate.
![vko navigation sign](vko-navigation-sign.jpg)
All wayfinding is rendered in three languages: Russian, English and Chinese.
![vko navigation lang](vko-navigation-lang.jpg)
In places where pylons are not sufficient, hanging signs are installed. Information on them gets more detailed as needed, so as not to overwhelm passengers with messages.
![vko navigation top](vko-navigation-top.jpg)
Wherever passengers are, they are always accompanied by a set of pleasant and recognizable pictograms that let them know they’re on the right path.
![vko navigation info 01](vko-navigation-info-01.jpg)
![vko navigation info 02](vko-navigation-info-02.jpg)
Wall signs are added in areas where it’s impossible to install a pylon or a hanging sign. They are also used to mark entrances to rooms.
![vko navigation wall 01](vko-navigation-wall-01.jpg)
![vko navigation wall 02](vko-navigation-wall-02.jpg)
![vko navigation wall 03](vko-navigation-wall-03.jpg)
Easily replaceable auxiliary decals and stickers take into account features of the surfaces.
![vko navigation stickers 01](vko-navigation-stickers-01.jpg)
![vko navigation stickers 02](vko-navigation-stickers-02.jpg)
![vko navigation stickers 03](vko-navigation-stickers-03.jpg)
There are ready-made mock-ups with correct dimensions of elements and spacing between them created for each media type, all that’s left is to fill them with content. In addition to that, all main pictograms were added to the main typeface file which allows to type them in the right size along with text.
All the subtleties of working with the new wayfinding system were gathered in a detailed manual which helps airport employees create the necessary wayfinding media without errors.
![vko navigation bb 01](vko-navigation-bb-01.jpg)
![vko navigation bb 02](vko-navigation-bb-02.jpg)
![vko navigation bb 03](vko-navigation-bb-03.jpg)
![vko navigation bb 04](vko-navigation-bb-04.jpg)
![vko navigation bb 05](vko-navigation-bb-05.jpg)
![vko navigation bb 06](vko-navigation-bb-06.jpg)
technical designers
industrial designer
- The studio wishes to thank Anastasia Galitskaya and AMS Group for the technical implementation of the project