Dundee Contemporary Arts sought a sign company in Dundee to supply and install a variety of new signage as part of a large refurbishment. DCA’s twentieth birthday was nearing and the management contacted me for advice and my quote.
Goodd Design Consultancy designed all of the signs. I met with Goodd’s Brian Proudfoot to discuss the project. We worked together to determine fabrication methods in keeping with Brian’s vision and design style throughout all of the new signs.
My quote was approved and I sourced a broad range of materials for the wide scope of signage. I also arranged production of signs with metal fabricators and the joiner I work with, as well as scheduling installation dates.
The new interior and exterior signs included vinyl lettering, aluminium trays, acrylic panels and flat cut steel letters. Hand lettering was also required for the exterior entrance walls.
Several weeks of planning and production were necessary due to the large order of different signs. Installation would last over three weeks and at times, I visited outside of the centre’s open hours. I liaised with DCA management, on site painters, as well as John Rennie, the joiner who helped install the signs.
A combination of materials were used throughout the new wayfinding system. Matt white vinyl lettering was applied to walls and doors. Transparent red vinyl was applied to panes of glass. In addition, aluminium trays wrapped in digitally printed vinyl were installed at the top of the stairs, as well as entrances to the lift.
Aluminium panels were painted and cut vinyl text was applied before installing them on the rear entrance gates. The panels were bonded with high strength, double sided tape. This avoided any visible fixings such as screw heads through the signs’ faces.
Steel box section frames hold individually cut steel and aluminium letters. The letters are sprayed matt white and glued to the box section frame. The frames are sunk into the rear entrance wall with no visible fixings. The neat installation makes the letters appear to float off of the wall surface.
Samples were painted to determine the opacity, fluidity, and the finish of the preferred masonry paint. DCA management and Brian were satisfied.
My dad, Brian and I hand painted DCA’s large initials onto the rough exterior wall. Brian also hand painted the sign at DCA’s Nethergate entrance. The exterior hand lettering lasted over four days and was the final stage of the large refurbishment project.
Everyone was delighted with the new signage result, completed before DCA’s birthday celebrations.
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