Ljubljana Cemetery Signage System Redesign

UX/UI design
client
Žale Cemetery
Project type
UX/UI design
PROGRAMMES USED
Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Adobe InDesign Figma

Project description

This project was part of my student exchange programme in Portugal where I was tasked with analysing and redesign the current signage system of Žale Cemetery in Ljubljana. The goal was to bring consistency and understanding while developing a unique visual style that will fit in and compliment its surroundings in the main cemetery of the Slovenian capital.

Redesigning with ambition

The reason for that was because the cemetery was designed by Slovenia’s best and most famous architect, Jože Plečnik, who made the cemetery with great ambition, and also succeeded as the site is nowadays also a tourist attraction which is not very common for a cemetery. The architecture is grandiose, elegant and timeless, while I don’t think there is anything particularly wrong with the current signage system I think it could be done more ambitiously and to try to match the feeling of the place as a whole.

Matching the colours to the feeling

The Dark Grey is used for the backgrounds of text and graphics to resemble the darker stone texture present through-out the cemetery. The darker colour is meant to fit the signs into their surroundings as well as compliment it and give them a respectful and peaceful feeling The Blue colour was taken from the Žale logo and implemented to differentiate certain elements and bring consistency to the emphasised elements. The Light Grey is used for most of the text and graphics on a dark background as a lighter contrast on the darker grey to ensure readability but reamin a calm feeling to the whole sign.

Typography that fits the scenery

The sans serif Neutra Display Used for generic names and for larger amounts of text. Playfair Display is used for specific names and titles.
Improving both the visual and the experience
I decided that I will use rectangular monolith like shapes for my signs instead of smaller signs that are now suspended above the ground on poles. I chose a dark colour for the background of my graphics, which is why the signs would be made of a material in this dark grey colour. When it comes to the measurements I did my first sign in the hight of 192 cm bringing the map, that would be on that sign to about the eye level of an average person. The width of the panel is 96 cm which is half of the height. I based my other panels on this keeping the proportions in mind. The middle panel on the grid is made using the same proportions of height and width (2:1), while the leftmost panel is very narrow but still remains within the set proportions of the signs.

Putting ideas to the test

I was able to visit the location and take some photos of the existing signs, while also thinking of ideas on how to improve them. The idea I came up with was to make the signs pin forms of monoliths rather than smaller signs on sticks. With that I was trying to match the grandiose feeling given off by the surrounding architecture. For the pictograms I chose a minimal approach with thin lines. I chose dark backgrounds for the icons that are going act as signs on their own to fit in with the rest of the signage and the lighter colours for the signs that will be a part of a bigger sign as seen on the right.
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Putting ideas to the test

I was able to visit the location and take some photos of the existing signs, while also thinking of ideas on how to improve them. The idea I came up with was to make the signs pin forms of monoliths rather than smaller signs on sticks. With that I was trying to match the grandiose feeling given off by the surrounding architecture. For the pictograms I chose a minimal approach with thin lines. I chose dark backgrounds for the icons that are going act as signs on their own to fit in with the rest of the signage and the lighter colours for the signs that will be a part of a bigger sign as seen on the right.
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The digital follows the physical

Alongside the signage system redesign I also decided to redesign the existing website of the cemetery as I thought it could be improved upon and made to fit the visual style and approach I thought of for the cemetery itself. I created 4 of their main pages and applied the colours and typography as well as improved the layout and general usability of the website while also making it look more visually pleasing and yet respectful and calm.
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