Singapore, Republic of Singapore
Dementia-Friendly Wayfinding System is a research-based wayfinding system developed by designers Stanley Tan, Gary Soh, Jacqueline Ong, and Ryan Lim from IMMORTAL for EM Services and for the Nee Soon South Town Council and Chong Pang Town Council in Singapore.
For its innovative and conscientious use of design, Dementia-Friendly Wayfinding System was awarded a 2021 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
In keeping with the Singapore government’s current initiatives, a dementia-friendly wayfinding solution was devised for Khatib Central and Chong Pang City, which were identified as residential estates with aging populations.
The project’s objective was to create a system that assists seniors and those afflicted with dementia in navigating around their neighborhoods safely and independently.
This was achieved by formulating wayfinding strategies that support easy navigation between residential blocks and key amenities around the estates, especially within high-traffic zones.
Building upon research in order to ascertain the needs of the elderly and dementia patients, the resulting wayfinding solution involves zoning areas by color and symbol, as well as developing a signage system that allows easy spatial recognition.
The residential blocks were sectioned into zones and each was assigned a bold color – either red, green, or blue. The zone colors were painted on the facade of the blocks, along with block numbers prominently displayed in large fonts, making them easily legible from a distance.
Other features of the wayfinding project include super-sized graphic walls and pillar signage that incorporate directional elements, universal icons, as well as stenciled symbols of pineapples, tropical fish, and rubber trees, chosen for their close association with the area’s heritage.
These simple yet distinctive visual cues serve as visual anchors for clear identification by color zone and are positioned in common areas such as lift lobbies and stairwells.
In addition, directional signage on aluminum panels was integrated with concrete seats that double as resting spots for senior residents.
The signage system was applied seamlessly to the existing infrastructure, making for a community-friendly approach that prioritizes the well-being of the elderly demographic.
Project: Dementia-Friendly Wayfinding System
Designers: Stanley Tan, Gary Soh, Jacqueline Ong, and Ryan Lim, IMMORTAL
Client: EM Services, appointed by Nee Soon South Town Council and Chong Pang Town Council
