Ithaca College

Interior Signage Solution for LEED® Platinum College Facilities Establishes Design Standards for Future Construction

Located in picturesque upstate New York and at the southern-most end of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca College has provided students with rich and diverse liberal arts education for more than a century. In 1997, Peggy R. Williams, the first woman to head the College, embarked on a civic-minded plan to reaffirm and expand upon Ithaca College’s history of community involvement. Along with student and community initiatives and programs, Ithaca College demonstrates its commitment to sustainability through the renovation of existing facilities to enhance energy efficiency, as well as through the construction of two, new buildings, the Dorothy D. and Roy H. Park Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprise, and the Peggy Ryan Williams Center. Both of these buildings were designed for LEED® platinum certification, a measure of the highest principles of architectural sustainability.

About the Solution

As part of the College’s LEED® platinum initiative, the facility management team at Ithaca College needed a durable interior signage solution that would complement the interior design of the new buildings, promote the College’s brand identity, and follow the eco-friendly material and fabrication techniques.

ASI was awarded the interior signage for the two new buildings based on ASI’s ability to deliver a design-build solution that meets the sustainable and environmental challenges of the new buildings. The Park Center for Business features a translucent, green-glass edge design and the Williams Center signage combines deep blue and silver coloring which both complement the distinguishing architectural characteristics of each building. In addition, the shape of each interior sign and the thumbnail image on the face of the signage are an homage to the architectural features of the two buildings.

Due to its durability and eco-friendly fabrication process, ASI selected InForm as the primary signage solution for each wall-mounted sign. InForm is manufactured through a process of thermoforming which provides crisp, clean edges and graphic detail in a single-piece sign. InForm’s durability lies in its composition. It is made from an impact and flame-resistant, thermoplastic alloy used to manufacture a wide range of aircraft and medical equipment enclosures.

In addition to the InForm interior signage, ASI created, fabricated and installed a beautiful custom donor recognition wall for the Park Center for Business to honor the alumni and benefactors that made the new center possible. ASI also created custom directories for the Center for Business and a beautiful arched monolith for the Williams Center to help inform and guide visitors, students, and staff throughout the buildings.