Naryan wayfinding

nenets autonomous okrug

Naryan-Mar wayfinding

Tourist route map and wayfinding design system

Naryan-Mar has an obvious rounded pedestrian route, that captures all the main sightseeing objects together with the largest restaurants and administration buildings. No matter, walking clockwise our counter-clockwise you go, you'll visit all of them. You can always make a wrong turn, leave the route and miss something, so we had to design a wayfinding system for better navigating.

Client: NAO Business Development Center

Work: map design, wayfinding design, 3d modelling, signage system

2021

The project included creating a pedestrian tourist map and the signage system. The system itself consisted of three core typical elements: the pylons, the directional signs and the house plaques. As a bonus, our maps could also be placed on the bus-stops. Together with the residents, we've made a list of significient buildings we wanted tourist to pay attention to and put them on map.

Mostly all endnotes on the map are aligned in a line, so that you won't miss anything while moving across the route. "You're here" pointer is crucial.

Naryan-Mar tourist center map

Map

Map is the core part of any wayfinding project. It had to be understandable and very easy recognizable. We wanted it feel pleasant and friendly, so our partner Andrey Semaking did his best to model all those buildings.

This is the second map of Naryan-Mar we had designed. The first one was about local memes and names, but it was too complicated for the wayfinding purposes, so we had to create a new one from skratch.

Pedestrian map focused on the tourist route and the objects around. Typically north is on the top, but when you're working with the pedestrian map this rule can only make things worse, so you should be able to turn it accordingly to the pedestrian way of view, so that the front view will stay on top. That's why its 3d.

Naryan-Mar map, created with residents with local object names

Wayfinding stela next to Zapoyarnaya hotel

Dark theme: on

Pylons

Elegant map pylons had three color variations to suit the environment. Administration liked the red ones because "Naryan-mar" town can be translated like the "Red color town". I agree with the choice, yet you always have to keep in mind, that some residents can argue they're too eye catching.

Pylons consist of the wayfinding segment on top, navigating you on the main directions. Map, that is highlighted in the dark, is showing you the context.

Naryan pylon designs

Directional signs

These arrow-like elements are placed on the route in between the pylons, so that the pedestrian won't mess up and make the wrong turn. Their design is well-thought: the main route is red-colored and the secondary directions are white. Secondary means, they are situated not more than 3 mins away by foot. Toilets are significantly smaller in size and placed on the bottom of all.

Arrow directional signs

House plaques

Buildings in Naryan-Mar are vivid and bright, so does the color scheme on these tablets. All the QRs are leading to the tourist website. We've been discussing a lot and made a decision to stay online with texts where the descriptions could be easily updated and maintained.

Naryan house plaques

Bus stops

Typical bus-stops in Naryan-Mar can fit map even horizontally, which is no problem for the 3d map we made. The topmost roof element on them suit perfectly for wayfinding needs.

Bus-stops in Naryan-Mar

We had been working together with the town administration, that consulted us on the installment procedure using the map. Every place is agreed with the local community and reasonably well placed, so that walking around the city center will remain comfortable and caring.

All the placements are well-thought and discussed with the local community and administration

We put 2 pylons near the hotel Zapolyarnaya and Timan restaurant, plus a few directional signs around the central square. Project is currently on hold as of in 2023, due to lack of finances. Still trying to win grants on this project and continue the installment process.