PHARMACY DESIGN & SIGNAGE

Graphic design, visual design, PRINT PRODUCTION

Objectives:

• Determine the needs of the client

• Create a design that meets the needs of the client and is visually distinct/appealing

• Properly execute the design onto a physical space
  
  

PROJECT OVERVIEW

For this project, I was tasked with designing several signage elements for a new pharmacy opening in the St. Catharines area. I was provided the specific text to be featured on the signs by the client along with their logo, giving me some creative freedom in the overall design approach.

To begin, I examined the client’s logo to understand their brand’s identity and what I could design within its parameters. The logo utilized a minimalist design with shades of black and grey, and was complemented by stylized green accents that added a visual flair. With this in mind, I worked to maintain the essence of the logo, and implement its general design into the signage while making necessary adjustments to fit the various signage formats. 

The client required the creation of various signage types, aisle signage for pick-up, drop-off, and consultation areas, front desk and door signage, a large outdoor coroplast sign, an overhead sign, a large aluminum panel, and a rounded awning sign. After analyzing the logo, I proceeded with designing each sign to align with the overall brand aesthetic.

DESIGN APPROACH & EXECUTION

I started with the smaller-scale signs, with the intention to maintain the overall flow and design of the logo in the signage. For example, the pick-up, drop-off, and consultation area aisle signs featured text along with the ‘RX’ symbol. I adapted the logo by removing ‘Scott Vine’ and ‘PHARMACY’ and replacing them with the relevant text, while also adjusting the green swirls on the logo to adjust to the new sizes.

The remaining smaller signage primarily included the logo and contact information; the large coroplast sign, however, was intended to showcase the pharmacy’s services For this, I incorporated green accents based on the logo’s swirls, creating a subtle green border that would complement the overall design without overwhelming it.

For the large-scale signs, the aluminum panel and overhead sign were also designed to display the logo and contact information. The overhead sign, being much longer than the other signs, required adjustments to the kerning and logo size to fill the space appropriately, with the original logo barely covering half the sign’s length. Similarly, the pylon sign followed a similar design approach, but at an overall smaller scale.

The most challenging element in this project was the front awning sign; unlike all the other signage, this one had a curved surface and a substantial length of nearly 13 feet, as well as being of a much softer material than the usual fare. At the client’s request, we needed to retain the original text while incorporating the client’s log and contact information. To achieve this, I divided the design into two sections: a smaller section at the top for the original text and a larger bottom section for the logo and contact info. The client requested that the original text remain as close to its original design as possible, so I used the original font and adjusted the horizontal space accordingly. For the logo, I edited it to remove elements that would be unnecessary to the required information and added the pharmacy’s phone number. I kept one of the green stripes and adjusted its trajectory for visual continuity and distinction among the black lettering.

After collaborating with the client through several revisions, the designs were finalized and approved, and we moved on to the production phase.

PRODUCTION & INSTALLATION

Once the designs were approved, we proceeded with production, which was relatively straightforward, aside from the complexity of the awning signage. The individual logo and text elements were cut into separate pieces to simplify the installation. I assisted with the lamination and preparation of each element, ensuring everything was ready for the installation.

The installation process was mostly seamless, with the exception of, who could have guessed, the front awning sign.  Due to its curvature and height, installation required several hours of carefully placing each individual piece of text and logo elements while compensating for the surface’s shape.

Looking back on this project, I’m proud of the outcome. While the design constraints were challenging, they also sparked creativity and led to innovative solutions. This project provided an opportunity to exercise both my design skills and problem-solving abilities under tight specifications.