Type for public signs

A hospital corridor is one of the hardest places to read a sign. People are tired, worried, in a hurry or seeing poorly, and the signs compete with doors, posters and screens.

Over three years, the type lab drew a typeface for exactly that moment: wide letters, open shapes, figures that cannot be confused, and a sign system built on a strict grid of colours and arrows.

Every version was tested in the corridors with patients and staff, including people with low vision. The final system now guides visitors through the University Hospital Basel, and the typeface is free for public buildings to use.