SEGD 2010 No. 27 - 53

visitors to the development’s four garages. Vehicular directionals feature a blue base and silver mast-like poles with custom ﬁnials, and incorporate real-time displays that indicate parking availability. Garage identiﬁers are halo-lit letters atop fabricated-aluminum canopies bearing the National Harbor logo. Once out of the garages, visitors encounter pedestrian-oriented American Way. Strategically oriented to the waterfront, four large (11 ft. tall and 8 ft. in diameter), three-sided, internally illuminated pedestrian kiosks provide event information, detailed site maps, and a list of venues. Continuing the site’s nautical theme, they feature a cable-stayed glass canopy topped with an illuminated marker-light ﬁnial. Handrails of stainless steel and Brazilian mahogany can withstand saltwater, sun, wear, and tear. Powdercoated-aluminum, Matthews high-performance paints, and stainless steel ﬁttings ensure durability. Additional pedestrian directionals add visual interest and continuity on the riverwalk and, at the client’s request, playfully link the harbor with destinations like New York City, Miami, and Hollywood. To take advantage of its visibility on Reagan National Airport’s ﬂight paths, the National Harbor logo appears in 8-ft.-high letters on both piers. ad vice studios (Richmond, Va.), the project fabricator, made a rubber template for each letter and the contractor poured stained, colored concrete into the molds. Navigating rough waters Below: The entrance to National Harbor is marked by an 85-ft.tall, Corten steel sculpture by artist Albert Paley. The developer opted against an entry sign, instead combining public art, streetscaping, landscape, and EGD to convey the effect that the development has always been there. Bottom: The National Harbor logo and nautical imagery are integrated throughout the site. It’s no surprise that on such a big project, challenges arose during the design, fabrication, and installation of the EGD program. “We were constantly coordinating with multiple ﬁrms on signage placement, and each had its own engineering ﬁrm,” says Pearce. segdDESIGN 53

SEGD 2010 No. 27

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SEGD 2010 No. 27