Université de l’Ontario français
The Université de l’Ontario français is the only French-language public university in Toronto. Cygnus was invited by Gow Hastings’ architectural team to develop interior signage and wayfinding for the interior fit-out at 9 Lower Jarvis St. The signage program is intended to be subtle and minimalist in order to not draw attention away from Gow Hastings’ interior design vision, which utilizes bold colours and environmental graphics to create an impactful space. The French-language university presented unique challenges, being the only project worked on by Cygnus that does not include any English text.
With the goal of creating signage that does not compete with the interior design, it was key to consider the amount of signage that is required for the space. The wayfinding program needed to accommodate a significant influx of new students learning to navigate the space every year, while remaining minimal to avoid visual clutter. Cygnus gave consideration to viewing angles to maximize the visibility and efficacy of each individual sign.
