Guidelines, identity and competing needs: The effect of signage design guidelines on uniformity and variety in urban retail business districts

This study examines the competing needs of business owners and urban districts in communicating their respective graphic identities to potential customers, and explores how the implementation of design guidelines and design regulations can impact which identity is emphasized. Identity has been defined as "the fact of being whom or what a person or thing is." Graphic identity is the means by which we recognize businesses or districts. When we speak of urban retail identity signage, we mean signage that helps us determine the nature and name of either a store or a district. This study seeks to define an effective balance between uniformity and variety in urban retail signage systems that would allow both the district and the business owner to communicate their message through graphic identity.;A balance of unity and variety within an urban signage system is highly desirable, but rarely occurs in the right mixture so as to benefit both the district and the individual business. In order to benefit both stakeholders, the development of design guidelines that create a balance between uniformity of the system (or district) and variety (or individuality of individual businesses) should be the goal.;This study has shown how the design guidelines control design factors to create the systematic (unifying) quality of these districts. Highly controlled design guidelines are effective in producing uniformity, and a unified identity for the district as a whole. Unity is useful in creating a sense of a place within the district. Urban retail sign systems give the district a sense of unity and character. Without systems, store signage results in a diverse, disordered, inconsistent and even chaotic impression of the district. A pleasing and unified community or district identity may very well attract visitors to the area, and visitors are potential customers.;The problem, however, is that visitors will only become customers if an individual store catches their attention. When uniformity is emphasized too much, each individual retail store must struggle to maintain its identity. On the other hand, variety is useful to create points of distinction for each individual business. While the retail sign system gives the district unity and character, it may cause stores to lack individuality because there is little differentiation between one store and another. It appears that an excess of consistency in a sign system can interfere with the identity function of signage. However, an excess of variety can produce a chaotic and cluttered look in the district; a chaotic look does not attract visitors.;Without some aspects of unity, districts become chaotic and "unreadable" in a hurry. Without some elements of variety, the urban landscape is monotonous and uninteresting, even boring. It is a fragile balance. To provide for overall uniformity and individual identity, signage guidelines must achieve a balance between individual identity and overall district character. Guidelines should be written so as to leave creative opportunities open to the individual retail store within the context of the district.;This study examines the design guidelines for urban identity signage in four urban distracts, in order to determine how the controlled and uncontrolled design factors affect the balance of individual and district identities. By comparing the level of uniformity required within a district, and the resulting retail signs, a correlation can be seen that points to the need for a more balanced approach in guideline development.;Achieving a balance between uniformity and variety in urban retail sign systems is vital to the development of successful retail districts. This issue should be of interest to those who prepare urban design guidelines and to anyone engaged in the design or redesign of urban retail signage.