Overview

The key to good interpretation signage is that it should enhance the experience of the visitor, but not disrupt the subject or setting. West Ham Park in East London is the home of Dr Fothergill’s botanical garden, where an arrangement of the many trees, flowers and plants he collected from around the world are on display in the park and Rose Garden.

Challenge

Fitzpatrick Woolmer's brief was to design a suite of interpretation displays and lecterns that would complement this often colourful and enchanting garden, without obstructing or detracting from the beautiful flora.

Solution

Working from customer-supplied text and images, the company's design studio created engaging interpretation panels in the City of London Corporation brand style. A number of concepts were developed for the display structures, inspired by the foliage and earthy tones of the garden. Corten steel was chosen as the most appropriate material, pre-weathered to reveal its delicate hues of Sienna, Ochre and Umber.

Graphics were reproduced as full colour n-viro™ prints, for maximum lightfastness and durability, and the corten steel panels were suspended from an existing pergola to minimise interference with the garden. A further two corten steel lecterns were installed at the entrances to the garden as an introduction to the interpretive experience.