Progressive Field Wayfinding
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CASE STUDY Progressive Field Wayfinding Progressive Field Wayfinding Cleveland, Ohio Wayfinding Progressive Field is a major league baseball ballpark located in Placemaking Initiatives downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Home of the Cleveland Indians for over 20 years, the ballpark has seen its fair share of glory and heartbreak. And while the stadium has withstood the test of time and Cleveland weather, Progressive Field is championing a series of renovations that are making game-day a one-of-a-kind, can’t- miss experience for fans. Objective Develop a comprehensive, stadium-wide, wayfinding strategy that connects Progressive Field’s newly renovated Right Field Neighborhood to the rest of the ballpark, creating a unique and consistent fan experience. “The new design has much more depth and structure. It really freshened up our lower concourse, giving our spaces more personality.” Dennis Lehman, Executive Vice President, Business, at the Cleveland Indians ©Guide Studio, Inc. guidestudio.com 1 CASE STUDY Progressive Field Wayfinding Background It would also provide fans with the opportunity to First off, most professional sports There’s nothing quite like seeing a baseball game socialize with friends and watch the game at the venues are inherently live. The smells, sights and sounds just can’t be same time, with bar stands and high top tables. challenging to replicated – stadium hotdogs, the crunching of navigate. Think Given the extraordinary changes fans would about it: they are peanuts and crackerjacks, the crack of the bat, and circular in shape, experience upon the project’s completion, Weber people root, root, rooting for their home team. and walking around Murphy Fox contacted Guide Studio to manage the concourses can wayfinding for the revamped district. cause people to get Cleveland’s Progressive Field has delivered these disoriented when traditions and nostalgia to millions of loyal fans. looking for their And while most would agree that the stadium Challenges seats. has aged gracefully, the Indians wanted to Fan comfort and engagement were top objectives reimagine their in-game experience to attract for the wayfinding strategy. The client wanted a new generation of fans and compete with the people to find their seats easily, but also be convenience of high-definition television for live drawn to other revenue-generating amenities, sports games. including shops and restaurants throughout the ballpark. However, once Guide Studio got started, The Indians hired Weber Murphy Fox Architects they uncovered big challenges that could not for the ballpark renovations. The first phase of only impede the success of the new Right Field the project focused on multiple areas – updated District, but the entire ballpark. entrances and bullpens, new screens and more social gathering spaces – but the Right Field The section and seating numbers increase in District became a focal point for the project. The sequential order and then suddenly start all over area, now known as “The Neighborhoods,” was again. On top of that, it’s difficult for ushers and to be redeveloped into a standing-room only other game day staff to direct people where to space (no seats) that housed local restaurants in go when there are no right or left turns – your support of Cleveland’s emerging food movement. options are to go straight or turn around. ©Guide Studio, Inc. guidestudio.com 2 CASE STUDY Progressive Field Wayfinding Next, the existing signs throughout the stadium • Experience Enhancers/Decision points: convoluted the process by providing too much What’s Around Me? What information and information and pointing fans to every possible tools are needed at each of these phases to un- derstand where they need or want to go next? amenity. In some cases, information had to be split between two signs because the amount of Given fans’ challenges associated with orienting directional messaging could not fit on a single themselves outside and inside of the stadium, Guide Studio made the concept of “districting” (zoning) a sign. Furthermore, the stadium’s massive crowds center point within the wayfinding strategy. add additional anxiety to the experience, causing people to get frazzled and frustrated, leaving them Districting, inspired by “The Neighborhoods,” with a bad experience even before the first pitch. establishes a hierarchy for wayfinding, allowing To help alleviate some fans to identify their location by looking inward of these stadium-wide at the baseball field (Right Field, Left Field, issues and maximize Center Field, Home Plate), rather than relying on the opportunities for the the traditional street signs and section numbers. new Right Field District, The specific names for the districts were chosen Guide Studio explained to orient people’s attention to the field, instead the value of a cohesive of streets outside the ballpark. This approach wayfinding strategy for supports quick and intuitive interpretation of the entire stadium and signage when fans arrive at the stadium and are received buy-in to create a trying to locate their seats. They don’t need signs new system that could be telling them where the bathrooms are or where leveraged throughout all of to buy a hot dog just yet – they need to find their Progressive Field. home for the game. Once they get to their district, fans will Solutions encounter directional signage that includes The project kicked off with section numbers that point them toward their an aggressive timeline seats. Additionally, there will be signage that in place (the new Phase helps fans access nearby amenities, including 1 renovations needed to be complete in under restrooms, shops and concession stands to help five months, before the start of the season), so them take advantage of everything the stadium Guide Studio wasted no time getting started. has to offer. Keeping the ultimate goal in mind – enhancing the fan experience – Guide Studio delivered the Signage System following solutions to the team. Originally, the signs at Progressive Field pointed to everything – sections and seating, escalators, Wayfinding Hierarchy: Districting elevators and food. At any point in your visit, The fan journey was at the heart of Guide Studio’s you would have to stop and read a large sign wayfinding and messaging recommendations. overloaded with messages and arrows listing a Before considering signage design and messaging, variety of amenities, causing confusion and crowds the team explored fans’ experience throughout of people bumping into each other as they try to various stages of their visit. read and walk at the same time. The signage didn’t • Arrival/Orientation: Where am I? Where do I map out a clear path for a positive experience. enter the ballpark? To resolve the issue, Guide Studio developed • Critical Information: Where’s my seat? a signage system that supports fans’ needs at ©Guide Studio, Inc. guidestudio.com 3 CASE STUDY Progressive Field Wayfinding various stages of their stadium journey, from of Progressive Field, content needed to reinforce With an improved and intuitive approaching the stadium (before they get there) the relationship between the baseball field and wayfinding strategy, to when they leave, and all of the stops they the Districts/zones in the stadium, which not fans are able to focus on enjoying their make along the way. The signage system lays only changed content on the actual signs, but experience, rather out what types of signs are needed at each information on printed tickets and how stadium than navigating stage (directional, gate identification, gate/zone, staff communicate directions to visitors. If a complex environment. etc.), as well as what information is important sign messaging and design in one area is not to include on the signs. For example, as fans consistent with the signs of another location, approach the outside of the stadium (by foot, people will feel lost and confused. car or bike), they need identification signage In addition to updating content, the signage that calls out the ballpark’s name, where to buy called for a new look and feel that evoked a mix tickets and the team shop. Within the stadium, of Cleveland’s past and present. Guide Studio fans need directional signs that include zone/ developed three design concepts, Cleveland district and section numbers. Tradition (pride, heritage, history, ballpark), Sign Family Cleveland Grit (perseverance, passion, blue R IGHT FIELD Infield & Left Field Districts Sections collar) and Contemporary Cleveland (innovation, G ATE Sections 117–179 103–113 Elevators • Ramp • Escalator The 216 efficiency, accessibility), that played on the city’s 113 111 R IGHT 109 108 FIELD ROGRESSIVE FIELD ROGRESSIVE FIELD D ISTRICT P P 528–572 EL ESC 7 E 46 VA A 0– ESS BOX L 45 PR TOR A TE TO AM R S HOP INFIELD DISTRI CT R A M 250–267 P 575 136–167 4 577 78– 4 TE 7 OR 4 T R R C A VA L C PREMIUM CLUB U E E B L E LEFT FIELD DISTRICT CLUB 326–348 GATE D 169–179 L IE F T F E L most important and iconic character traits. The N U R H E C 117–134 OR HOM P L K EV DS I E EL CL 6 ONE 2 U 4 B BHOUS HOU U 420– S E S CL S OR R D THE T B 5 KI HE A 216 8 VA R C E EA 0–1 L RIELD FIELD L 8 E B 1 DISTRI CT R IGH 103–113 T T 4 101 E F 0 RR IEL 3– FA A 4 MI C D 1 ES E 9 L HERITAGE 30 Y BULLPENS C 3 D PARK A –31 EC LA K R TO 6 A 528–572 MP R 427–473 LD GATE ELEVATOR RIGHT FIE E TE S CALATO AM S HOP INF IEL D R YOU ARE HERE DISTRICT 250–267 RA MP 136–167 575 474 ELEVATOR MIUM CLUB 577 –4 RE 7 P 8 LEF T F IELD CLUB DISTRICT 326–348 169–179 IELD GATE F T EF L LEVEL ONE LEVEL KIDS CLUBH KIDS 117–134 E S HOU 420–426 OU SE THE 216 KIDS CLUB BA R ELEVATOR RIG HT FIELD BLEACHERS 180–185 DISTRICT 103–113 101 E RIGH SCALATOR 4 T FIE 03–41 Bullpens HERITAGE R AM LD TERRA 9 PARK P CE RIGH T FIEL D G ATE team also supplied the client with mock-ups that YOU ARE HERE Sklfdjghsdfh sfgdgh hsglk sdfhkngh Sklfdjghsdfh sfgdgh hsglk sdfhkngh hslgkh sghklnkn shkdkg shglkfgh.