Design: Metal pylon signage

How to design an architectural metal pylon sign? Last year my company BaumannSign we created a large metal pylon signage in front of an corporate building in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This article will give you an insight on how the pylon was designed, build and manufatured. Please let me know your findings on the final results.

Detail metal pylon signage

metal pylon signage
The original brief from the client/architect was to create a architectural pylon which will draw attraction in a corporate way, to have a directional function and space for various logos and of text. In a short meeting we all agreed on the materials; metal and the design brief was created as following:

  • Metal (raw) materials
  • Illuminiated Signs
  • Full color usage of logo
  • Clear direction to the office buildings and streetnames should be on the signs
  • Corporate design
  • Accesable from both sides
  • Readable from a distance

First sketches

design sktech metal pylon signage
For all my design work I use Adobe Illustrator CS3, I have worked with Illustrator since version 8 and it allows me to quickly create results in 2D and 3D. Within the first series of drawings various variations of a pencil were made because of the main rental company in these office buildings is Staples. Soon we discoverd that pencils (or parts of them) where not working as a signage landmark. After creating several more designs the image as shown above became the final design. From there on I started working on the build of the metal plyon design with the following demands:

  • The concrete foundatation may not be visible
  • The electricity should be connected from the ground and not visible
  • Illuminated elements should be easily replaced and should have a high preformance lighting
  • Stainless steel parts from the landmark should be easily replaced with damage
  • Strong steel casing and vandal-resistant

The Build

build pylon signage
From several 3D angles the pylon signage was drawn and the internal elements were designed, I have had close contact with the client/architect and constructor to enhance all features and make no or litte design changes from the final design. After all details and the steel casing was drawn, everything was send to a construction ingenieur party to check if my calculations are according standards. When everything was approved and the placing request was granted  from the commune, the build could be started. For all visual metal elements we used the material metal Stainless Steel Aisi 316 K320. In inside steel casing was made of square pipelines welled together and powder coated to reduce corrosion on the several parts.

Illuminated signs

illuminated signs
The pylon signage should be readable from a distance and the client requested to add the logo to the signs, this increases the recognizability of the companies in the office buildings. To create a unique look and feel to the landmark I added detail to the illuminated signs by a small stainless steel square border and let the plexiglas plate fall back a little, which will draw the attention by the detail. In inside illuminated equipment consits of a single TL-element mounted at the top of the sign, packed in a U-shape element the light is directed downwards. With a bend mirror-plexiglas the light is transported towards the plexiglas plate, allowing a high reflect diffus (white) effect. By using these elements not only you will get a high performance illuminiated sign but also reduce the costs of using just one TL-element. We have used white satin opaal plexiglas plates for a non-reflecting surface.

Installing the Pylon Signage

installing build pylon signage
At the location where the landmark was being placed a concrete plate was placed with a diamater of 2 x 2 meters weighing over 1600 KG. In this concrete plate several steel bolds where mounted with a chemical brace. The landmark was then placed onto the bolds using a lifting element placed on top of the landmark. All the stones where placed back into position and the ground and the illuminated signs where placed into the fittings in the pylon.

Final results

final results of metal pylon signage
Our company very much enjoyed this project and we would like to thank the architect and all parties involved. Let me know what you think of this stainless steel landmark?

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13 Responses to “Design: Metal pylon signage”

Evan Meagher
January 13th, 2009

Very cool. Never would have thought about how that kind of sign would be designed and assembled. Good post!

1.

Jin
January 13th, 2009

Very interesting to read the ID side of a signage design! I like the industrial look of it, and the stainless steel complements the clean look very well. Good job Sander.

2.

Rob Chant
January 13th, 2009

It looks great, although I’ve never really understood what ‘corporate design’ actually means. I’ve always felt it’s just one of those things companies like to say and pretend that it means something.

3.

Sander Baumann
January 14th, 2009
designworkplan admin

Hi Evan Meagher - Thanks for your comment, appreciated!

Thanks Jin - for your comment, stainless steel is one of my favourite metals to work with. Glad to see you find the design industrial, this was the look my client wanted.

Hi Rob Chant - thanks for your comment. In this case the purpose with corporte design is that the companies in both buildings can relate to the signage and that the visual communication works as an overall identity.

4.

Rob Chant
January 14th, 2009

Yes, I get what you mean. I do know what ‘corporate design’ (and similar phrases) mean really ;) . I just become frustrated that these phrases are so often used as fillers, substituting for much more expressive possibilities.

That’s in no way critical of your signage though — it’s remarkably well executed in fact.

5.

m - phoenix web design
January 23rd, 2009

I think it turned out looking great. A very good looking solution.

6.

Wong Wai How
February 8th, 2009

Good metal sign with double sided message. is this sign intended to pedestrian or vehicular from your visual i think your sign is about 4m. is kind of very small if you inteded it to be seen form your sign face is about 600X1500 and the arrow and the street name is a bit small. you have make the logo to big right. The sign structure you use square hollow mild steel kind of huge. if you wanted to slim down the structure a univesal bean is another choice. i did not see any cross bracing on your structure. is it strong enough with strong wind and all the weather elememt. anyway to further reduce corrosion you should glavanised the structure first then power coat or spray painted the structure. for the stainless steel u use stainless steel 316 is a very good choice. any way i do not understand why you have make the plexiglass fall back from the frame. In my contry i cannot do that because the rain water will stay on the stainless steel frame and it will sip into and up at the back of the sign. the sign will turn dirty and moldy in no time. in my contry to use plexiglass for out door sign is not a always good choice because it will turn yellow and crack in no time. i am in malaysia and the weather is tropic with strong sunny day and rain always so plixiglass is not a good choice.

7.

Anne Stewart
February 10th, 2009

Cool! I just biked passed this the other day on my way to Ikea!

8.

joy
June 24th, 2009

This is in reposne to WOng’s comment.
1) Powder coating is much better than galvanising
2) Beams are less mechanically and structurally stronger than closed tubes. One way of reducing the moment is to design the structure with a hollow pipe and then weld the ribs on.
3) 316- is what they used for the stainless steel.
4) Water logging- Yes- you are right and this should not have been incorporated into the design. Stainless steel is NOT rust resistant and water will not only make the sign look dirty eventually water will corrode the vanadium chrome coating of the stainless steel.
5) Font heights and sizes are usually dictated by the Company. Designers cannot change it. Visibility concerns are different for highways and approach roads.
I have run sign projects in every continent in the world and each country has unique feautures. Wong- in Malaysia- I was the one who installed the SCB new sign in KL ( circa 2002) .

9.

Robert Harper
January 10th, 2010

Beautiful design and lines. The modern clean look is not seen much here in Florida.

10.

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