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Radisson BLU
Project type
Environmental Graphics
How do you deliver on the vision of a overseas designer with different regulatory standards? With custom created elements crafted to mimic antiques.
We were commissioned to provide unique way finding graphics for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago. The Interior design team was UK based and had a vision that paid tribute to turn of the century print houses nearby.
The design team wanted to use vintage and authentic wood letter blocks that were used in antique printing presses to create the room numbers and additional wayfinding signs throughout the hotel.
The challenge was two fold...1. finding enough authentic blocks, and 2. making the signs ADA compliant. The UK team didn't see a problem acquiring the blocks. In the UK they are plentiful due the the rich history and age of the country. However in the US (which is a bit younger) we simply didn't have the stockpile of authentic antique pieces for the volume of signage required.
We solved that problem by partnering with a local architectural model making company which custom produced the letters with a unique manufacturing process.
The second problem was meeting ADA regulations. We accomplished this by putting a reflective "ink" on the letters and adding and baseline rail which featured braille and smaller raised standardized numbers.





