Our Portfolio: Wayside Exhibits and Signage
Pensylvania DCNR
Wayside Exhibits for PA State Parks
Wiant Design Works has designed multiple wayside exhibits for eight Pennsylvania State Parks.
Following design guidelines and graphic standards, we worked with park rangers, planners, and interpretive design content developers to write text, research history, and imagery, and create charts, graphs, technical illustrations, and maps.
Our design background and history of working with a wide variety of industries allow us to approach a large breadth of subject matter with confidence and technical expertise that produce exceptional results.
Laurel Highlands: Watering Trough
NORTH UNION TOWNSHIP, FAYETTE COUNTY, PA
As you wind up/down Rt. 40—heading towards the Laurel Highlands and the Summit Inn Hopwood, PA—you will find a beautiful rest stop with a spring-fed watering trough. The local community has been coming to this location for many years for easy access to the cool, crisp water flowing from the Laural Mountains.
A public/private partnership project spearheaded by Fayette County and Hardy World, Inc wanted to create an education program that told the story of the Watering Trough and how it was/has been used by the surrounding community over time.
Project goals included increasing tourism opportunities by providing a new historical attraction/destination. This site broadens access to regional history, protects natural resources, and adds a high-quality visitor experience while enhancing the Summit Mountain tourism experience and entryway to the Laurel Highlands.
Wiant Design Works assembled a creative team to work with representatives from Hardy World to provide planning, writing and research services in addition to design services to create 2 waysides for the Watering Trough site.
Wolf Creek Nature Trail
GROVE CITY, PA
Grove City College wanted to develop a series of educational interpretive wayside signs for the campus. The first two would focus on the Wolf Creek Nature Trail. The signage's look, feel, and construction needed to resemble directional signages installed throughout the campus. The design format and layout also referenced existing graphic standards but took on a unique personality related to nature, culture, and historical themes. Deliverables included project planning and production management, content development, image research, and acquisition.
Custom illustrations featuring native wetland wildlife and plants were acquired from a previous project completed for Pennsylvania DCNR. Historical photographs came from the Grove City Historical Society. We also worked with a local writer and historian to develop text for each panel. The total time to complete the project was eight weeks from start to finish.
Three Rivers Heritage Trail
PITTSBURGH, PA
Artifacts, paintings, and photographs of historical significance tell the story of Pittsburgh’s past and present through a series of over 30 outdoor interpretive wayside panels. This sturdy, fade-resistant signage system is found along an 11-mile network of recreational trails which contour the city’s riverfronts. Wiant Design Works designed all interpretive graphics and custom signage support structures that reflect Pittsburgh’s industrial heritage.
The project included the creation of Trail Head signs and a map that illustrates the entire network of trails. In addition, Wiant Design Works recently assisted in designing and developing an interactive version of the trail map, allowing users to plot points of interest and plan their visits on the web.
Rivers of Steel Waysides
PITTSBURGH, PA
Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area works with Wiant Design Works to develop wayside and river landing exhibits throughout Western Pennsylvania. This collaborative effort combines Rivers of Steel’s historians, writers, photo archivists, and Wiant Design Works' designers and project managers. The exhibits provide historical interpretation and identify historic sites, attractions, recreational opportunities, and accommodations within riverfront communities.
The design format includes options for multiple exhibit kiosk configurations. In addition, careful documentation of design standards and fabrication and installation specifications ensure consistent implementation on future sites.
Erie to Pittsburgh Trail
FOXBURG, PA
The Erie-to-Pittsburgh Trail Alliance is a coalition of trail organizations, municipalities, and individuals developing and maintaining a non-motorized trail network connecting the “Bayfront” in Erie, PA, to Point State Park in Pittsburgh, PA. Wiant Design Works was approached to design and fabricate a three-sided trailhead kiosk to orient trail users to the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail (EPT) system and the town of Foxburg, PA. Working with representatives from the EPT and Foxburg, Wiant Design Works designed a series of signs that include information about the EPT and its mission, a map of the entire trail system, a business directory with a map identifying local amenities, and an interpretive panel highlighting historical information about Foxburg.
The design included exploring how this wayside exhibit might establish design standards for the entire trail system while controlling development costs. The successful design solution was to choose a reliable, repeatable, economic, and durable signage structure and combine it with a graphic template that could be repeated at each trailhead. In addition, the design established a form and brand language for the EPT and standardized the type and amount of information for interpretive signage and the business directory. At the same time, the wayside panel dedicated to the trail system and organization remains consistent.
Great Allegheny Passage
PITTSBURGH, PA
Wiant Design Works teamed with the Allegheny Trail Alliance to create the interpretive signage program for the Great Allegheny Passage, a 152-mile bicycle and walking trail connecting Cumberland, MD, with Pittsburgh, PA.
Three interpretive themes: American History, Local History, and Transportation & Industry, were chosen to highlight points of interest along the trail.
Because signs often appear miles apart from one another, a color-coded graphic format was developed to unify the different themes as well as strengthen the identity of the Allegheny Trail Alliance throughout the entire trail system.
Huntley Meadows Park
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA
Huntley Meadows Park asked Wiant Design Works to propose a solution for the design and fabrication of seven interpretive wayside exhibits to be installed on the wetlands boardwalk. The project was executed in two phases. Phase 1 focused on generating design concepts to gather feedback from the general public, volunteers, and park staff. Phase 2 focused on using that feedback to refine design thinking.
Our designers worked with the Parks team of interpreters and Judy Fort Brenneman from Greenfire Creative—who provided content development and interpretive planning services—to refine design ideas and direction.
We also collaborated with a local illustrator, Margaret Wohler, who volunteered her time and creativity to the project.
One of the challenges was creating bi-lingual exhibit text to help serve the growing Spanish-speaking population.
Graphic standards followed those developed in another project for the neighboring Historic Huntley site, so branding remained consistent throughout the park.
