The main ID sign is composed of dimensional letters that range in depth from 6” on the right to 2” on the left, symbolizing the emergence from the depths of history to reach into the future.

Sign manufacturers are often asked to provide signage as one of many subcontractors involved in a large project, and often it seems that we are brought in very late in the process, after the design has been finalized and the permits issued, when our expertise and recommendations can become more of a liability than the valuable contribution that they should be. 

When all of the contractors work together on a well-managed project, led by an innovative and open-minded team of architects and designers, the results of that cohesive approach can be stunning, as is the case with the expansion of a grammar school built in 1916 that was transformed into the new Milpitas Public Library. 

When the city of Milpitas issued a request for proposal in 2004, Group 4 Architecture of South San Francisco responded and was awarded the contract. The grammar school building sat almost in the center of the project site, approximately 15,000 square feet of strong classical architecture designed for education. The challenge was to develop a 60,000 square foot building that included the existing structure, preserving its historic nature while creating a new signature community building that would set the tone for future development at the north end of the Midtown Milpitas redevelopment area.

North and south wings were added to the existing school building, with a staff wing that wraps around the back of the grammar school, connecting all public wings of the library. Visitors can enter from either Main Street or the parking structure, and follow the directories and wayfinding cues to find their destination.

Taking wing

The solution was to add a north wing containing the children’s library, adult reference, non-fiction and “Teenopolis” sections; a south wing featuring the lobby and main service desk as well as new and popular books and media; and a new staff wing that wraps around the grammar school, allowing direct access to all public wings of the library. To tie everything together, some existing walls had to be opened up and connected to the new north and south wings so that visitors could enter the lobby from either Main Street or the parking structure, and follow strong architectural wayfinding cues to locate their desired section of the library. Of course the signage was also an important part of that function.

The grammar school building retained a historical theme as a place of learning, with a computer classroom, group study spaces and a quiet reading/study room. The facades of the new wings combine plaster and glass in a way that is both distinct from and complementary to the school’s facades, floating above the existing building on bands of windows. What had been an open courtyard was covered with a new tensile roof, providing protection from the elements but retaining the connection to the outdoors with lots of windows and natural light.

That courtyard also had classical columns with Ionic order capitals that had been replaced in a previous project with columns with Corinthian capitals. The Ionic columns were re-created to restore the courtyard to its original splendor, and the classical columns that framed the original “ceremonial” entrance to the school were left intact.

A previously open school courtyard is now covered with a tensile roof, providing shelter but allowing plenty of natural light. The original Ionic capitals remind visitors of the splendor of the historic architecture that is at the core of the new library.

Telling the story

Early in the process, Group 4 invited the design firm of Studio Wilks to develop the wayfinding and signage, which would incorporate elements of the architecture and finish colors to transition from historical to modern through different types of environments with lots of overhanging roofs and slanted angles. 

Studio Wilks is an award-winning multidisciplinary design team based in Los Angeles that has created environmental branding, graphics and signage for museums, libraries, trade show exhibits, retail, restaurants and theme parks. It strives to understand the vision of the project leadership and the mind set of the intended audience, then bring the story of the location to life with words, textures, colors and images.

Follow the yellow brick road

Color coding is a common technique used in wayfinding—identifying sections of the building on the directory, which are echoed in wall, carpet and furniture colors as well as in the signage—confirming that the visitor is headed in the right direction as long as they continue to see the color they are expecting. Much of the signage in the library is composed of relatively neutral colors; natural wood, brushed aluminum, dark gray and white. The shape of the wooden element on the signs follows the angle of the rooflines connecting the grammar school to the new construction. The color of the wood also changes subtly from the new areas to match the darker wood in the older building.

The main building ID sign on the landmark south tower is composed of dimensional letters that range in depth from 6" on the right to 2" on the left, symbolizing the emergence from the depths of history to reach into the future. Dimensionality is used throughout the library to pay homage to the architectural trend of carving and embossing elements that was prevalent at the turn of the last century. 

Area identification is accomplished with lettering recessed into wall surfaces, and even lit with LEDs at the base that cycle through colors to create a subtle, constant transformation. The Children’s section is more colorful and whimsical in all of its elements, including the signs, as is evident in the giant yellow exclamation point over the Help Desk, and the stack of blocks that marks the Activity corner.

The history at the core of the project is emphasized through a half-tone image of the original school building, with specific historical references on some of the room identification signs. In addition, the hallway leading from the parking garage to the main lobby is filled with wall-sized reproductions of historical photographs, sparking the visitors’ interest and encouraging them to find the verbal and architectural clues scattered throughout the library’s grounds.

Color coding is a common technique used in wayfinding—identifying sections of the building on the directory, which are echoed in wall, carpet and furniture colors as well as in the signage.

From the ground up

As the design process was under way, the construction project was begun as well, starting with a competitive bid through Public Works and contracted with the city of Milpitas, which was won by S J Amoroso Construction, based in Redwood City, Calif. It is a company of approximately 300 full-time employees, plus site-specific crews of project managers and superintendents, established in 1939. 

Their fundamental management philosophy is that the most successful projects are completed by creating an integrated team including the client, the designers, and the contractor, where each team member is a partner in the project’s ultimate success. 

They started developing drawings, pouring foundations, and framing walls before the signage was added to the scope of work, and they hired all of the subcontractors, including VKK Signmakers of Redwood City, who took all of the graphic concepts created by Studio Wilks and made them real.

Down to the details

VKK Signmakers specializes in high quality architectural signage, from individual and sculptural pieces to complete interior and exterior sign programs, including corporate identity, exhibit signage, donor recognition, corporate awards and public art. Their contribution was to develop the shop drawings and engineer the fabrication of the signs to the specs provided.

The complexity of the program drove them to push the limits of their capabilities. They were directed to fabricate illuminated signs that were literally built into the wall with the cabinet blending into the surrounding surface. There were many complicated structural, electrical, and mounting details for both wall-mounted and ceiling-hung signs, both interior and exterior. 

Many of the room identification signs feature tactile text and Braille, screenprinted secondary information, and a digitally printed background image, all on a backer made from brushed aluminum with stained wood accent pieces, which is a huge number of processes for a single sign. The engineering of some of the more complicated signs took a bit longer than expected, but the time lost in development was regained in fabrication and justified by the quality of the end result.

Pulling it all together

With a project of this complexity and scope, communication and scheduling are key factors to the success of the process. To facilitate and coordinate interaction between all of the contractors, subcontractors and city departments, the city of Milpitas hired Critical Solutions, an independent construction management firm in San Jose. They made sure that questions got answered, materials were on site and the stages were accomplished on schedule. All of the participants agree that this project moved smoothly and efficiently from beginning to end.

With the exceptional quality of the team that was assembled, from the architects and designers to the contractors and sign fabricators, it is no surprise that the Milpitas Library won the American Institute of Architects East Bay Chapter Merit Award. Since its opening in January 2009, it has been enlightening and educating seekers of knowledge in an atmosphere of historical and modern delights.