JFK Terminal 5, New York City
A group of people in a large building.

It’s Time to Rethink Signage and Wayfinding for Transportation Hubs

Editor’s Note: This post is part of our ongoing exploration of how design is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A close alliance between environmental graphic design and airport architecture may seem unlikely at first, but these fields are remarkably interdependent. This post brings the two together to explore how to stay safe when the world starts traveling again.

Fast forward to when you’re ready to take your next flight. Maybe that’s six months from now. Maybe longer. Maybe, depending on your job, family situation, or other circumstances out of your control, your next flight is already on the horizon. When that day comes, what’s it going to take to make you feel safe?

Transportation hubs — especially airports — were anxiety triggers long before we had to deal with a global pandemic. To dispel that unease, designers have successfully deployed signage and wayfinding strategie