Signs of the Times - May 2017 - 34
to space 'County' on the right-hand side, away from that [detail] the same as how 'Hotel' was spaced on the left-hand side, which gave us an even, mirrored look." To avoid possible misunderstandings, Coltun said, "Have an understanding of everyone's wants and goals on the project. Make sure you're managing everyone's expectations accordingly." Rather than pitching his signs on quality alone, Coltun said Crown's motto is "service, service, service." Sometimes, that means dropping everything to help a customer put out a fire. At a five-star hotel in in New York City, a hotel manager forgot to order room number placards for the entire building. A Crown team worked around the clock, fabricating the signage in three days and installing it just in time for an upcoming inspection. "Some people would say it can't be done, but we do whatever it takes," Coltun said. FINISHING TOUCHES For The County Hotel, the Mixit team crafted illuminated letters and three34 SIGNS OF THE TIMES MAY 2017 sided fascia around the entryway comprising aluminum routed panels topped by another front panel with push-through acrylic lettering, and a third, final layer of acrylic on the signface. The channel letters are router-cut out of aluminum with an AXYZ 6010 router and illuminated with a three-module Samsung LED, with design work done in CorelDRAW. As with the Urban Lodge project, a design firm passed along font, design and branding details. During installation, Mixit mounted the 35.4-in. (900mm) letters on an aluminum rail in sections, then used a scissor lift to place each section on the original wrought-iron railing. Once they were in position, the wrought iron was drilled and tapped, then secured into place using locknuts. Because the front side of the building is a mirror of itself, Nattrass and his team installed two identical signs on the front façade, as well as a single set on the side of the building. Once debates about spacing for the lettering were resolved, the Mixit team was ready to tackle the next challenge: The fabrication company crafting the hotel's wroughtiron entryway had fallen behind, so signage installation had to be squeezed into a tiny window. (Remember that tip about timing?) At Urban Lodge, keeping with the contemporary touch, simple black and white wayfinding signage hangs from the unfinished ceilings with a hand pointing the way for a touch of humor. For contrast and contemporary flair, as guests exit the elevator, an enormous, oversized number denoting each floor is affixed to wooden cupboards. Opposite the reception desk, a splash of white tile with black adhesive vinyl affixed to the concrete wall carries the exterior signage and logo to the interior of the space. In addition, the logo was stamped into the walls using an impression of the Urban Lodge logo pressed into the wet concrete. Lancaster's design left not only these literal impressions, but increased the developer's estimation of her work; they are currently collaborating on a new project. As with any sector, a happy client is a loyal one.