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Service: Environmental Graphic Design

Four Seasons

Services Deliverables
  • Signage
  • Wayfinding
  • Masterplanning
  • Placemaking

Sophisticated placemaking for a white-glove experience

Four Seasons operates white-glove service hotels, resorts, and residences across the globe. Seeking to align the high standards of quality and finish expected, Forge is an ongoing partner; providing world-class wayfinding and placemaking solutions. With eight projects and counting, Forge continues to provide outstanding value to this international hospitality company.

Inspired design for unmatched hospitality

Our design approach takes cues from the forms and finishes present in the spaces, employing a sophisticated palette of materials to convey a sense of refined luxury. Sign messages are applied throughout the rooms and spaces to create a seamless look that allows the messaging to grow naturally out of the environment.

Signage details in Four Seasons, Lanai, Hawaii

Award-winning signage and wayfinding solutions

Signage is a subtle yet visible extension of the guest experience, creating a network of visual landmarks and reference points to effectively orient visitors in the many Four Seasons hotel environments we’ve designed without overpowering the spaces. We’ve created signage solutions for many Four Seasons locations, including Doha in Qatar, Khobar in Saudi Arabia, Astir in Greece, Lanai in Hawaii, Boston, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Toronto.

Four Seasons at Comcast Technology Centre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Interior details inside Four Seasons, Toronto, Ontario
Exterior details at Four Seasons, Toronto
  • 8 Four Seasons hotels in our portfolio
  • 4 countries, spanning two continents

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First Gulf

Toronto, ON
Services Deliverables
  • Art Installation
  • Wayfinding
  • Illustration
  • Motion Graphics
  • Placemaking
  • Masterplanning
  • Signage

Imbuing life: an artistic reflection on growth

The Globe and Mail Centre is located in Toronto’s St. Lawrence neighbourhood, on one of the original ten city blocks of the Town of York. First Gulf commissioned Forge to create an art installation for their lobby that captures their brand’s essence of growth and enhances the tenant and visitor experience.

70 linear feet of continuous LED display adds interest and vivid colours to the lobby

Opening windows into new worlds

We created an array of LED columns across the 70-foot lobby wall, giving it the appearance of a series of growing ‘windows’ from the core of the building to the entrance. This extensive canvas creates two interactive artworks that attract attention while capturing and utilizing the constant pedestrian flow to affect the content.

The physcial array of screens contract/expand as you enter/exit the lobby

Escaping urban life through nature’s tranquility

‘Bloom’ invites the viewer to wander into its idyllic, hand-illustrated forest scenes to enjoy a moment of respite. It highlights the importance of maintaining a balance between nature and the urban sprawl so that we can continue to find solace within its warm embrace. With 72 scenes, including seasonal changes, varying flora, floating lanterns, creatures of the forest, and shifting light that emulates the time of day, it will never cease to have new things to discover.

All of Bloom’s custom made scenes change through the seasons and the lighting changes over the course of the day
Whimsical animal spirits are triggered by viewers stopping to take in the screens and represent current weather patterns

An artistic exploration of city and citizens’ dependencies

‘Interstitial Space’ explores the symbiotic relationship between the city and its citizens. The piece actively translates the momentum of the lobby’s pedestrians, adding colourful lines that weave throughout the illustrated cityscape, revealing depth and imbuing energy into the art. Over the day, eight distinct eras celebrate the history of Toronto, from its humble beginnings in 1793 to its current vibrant state.

Toronto’s skyline changes every hour, representing the growth of the city from its historic past to its vibrant present

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Image of UJA Federation building.

UJA Federation

Toronto, ON
Services Deliverables
  • Signage
  • Wayfinding
  • Masterplanning
  • Donor Recognition
  • Placemaking

Strengthening the connections within a community

Nestled in the natural beauty of the West Don Parklands, the UJA Federation’s Sherman campus is a unique multiplex hub that provides an essential cultural link for Toronto’s Jewish community and features state-of-the-art sports, youth, educational and family programming. The phase II development mission is to expand the facility offerings and enrich the connection for all members of the UJA family.

Wayfinding signage along a trail.
Monuments of recognition

A vibrant and thriving community hub

UJA Federation approached Forge Media + Design to plan, design, and implement a wayfinding system for the newly planned Sheff Family Building. Our design challenge was to create a harmonious experience amongst neighbouring buildings while integrating new signage and donor recognition for the campus, building exterior and interior.

Close-up of building signage lettering.
The building as fabric of the community
Wayfinding signage pillars outside the building.
Wayfinding signage outside the building complex.
Unified brand through typeface consistency
UJA Federation building.
Integrated wayfinding creates a sense of place

Understanding the diverse legacy

Cultural sensitivity and accessibility were critical factors to the development of the project. Working within specific budget constraints, Forge engaged with key stakeholders to understand the diverse typology of guests and visitors. The result is not only an intuitive system that liberates the act of mobility and access but also one that provides moments of connection, pride of place and a shared vision for the future.

Interior of UJA building, with a focus on wayfinding signage.
Familiar forms help with orientation
Close-up of office signage.
Close-up of building amenity signage.
Close-up of building amenity signage.
Changeable donor panels
  • 106K sq. ft. campus

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Backside of interactive donor recognition panels.

Stella’s Place

Toronto, ON
Services Deliverables
  • Signage
  • Wayfinding
  • Donor Recognition
  • Video Production
  • Motion Graphics
  • Kiosk
  • Placemaking
  • Masterplanning

Young people are 20% of the population, but 100% of the future

Forge had the pleasure of working with Stella’s Place – a not-for-profit organization in Toronto, ON, that helps young adults empower themselves to manage their mental health and wellness. During our inclusive co-design session, a rich diversity of stories from the stakeholders and youth participants revealed the tapestry of the community they are weaving together. This direction became a foundational theme for the project.

Inspirational interior signage.
A place for sharing art

A through-line connection throughout the space

The interconnected concept of community is in all of the project elements, including a colourful thread graphic that weaves throughout the space, intuitively delineating areas that youth participants are welcome to utilize. Every detail of the signage keeps the safety of the participants in mind and features a high level of changeability to allow for future donor recognition of spaces.

Room signage and donor recognition, with a person walking by.
Integrated room sign and donor recognition
Close-up of messaging on an interior wall.
Close-up of donor recognition and room signage.
A connecting thread

Designing an accessible experience

Also integrated into The thread is a tactile surface that distinguishes it from the wall. Braille directional pannels are strategically located at key decision points to help those with vision disability to orient themselves.

A person's hand touching a braille sign.
Close-up of raised signage letters.
Close-up of braille signage.
Close-up of raised signage letters.
Calming design cues

Thoughtfully showcasing personal stories through design

Forge worked closely with Stella’s Place to ensure everyone’s story was carefully told. Choosing where and how those moments were displayed was a collaborative effort between client, interior designers and Forge’s environments team.

A chair and donor legacy sign.
Close-up of interior donor legacy sign.
Founder recognition plaque

Creating a place of their own

The digital donor wall was placed at the heart of the new building, highlighting the importance of the people that provide funding, service, and participation. At the push of a button, video testimonials of donors, participants, peers and staff capture the essence of ‘Why Stella’s Place matters’ and illustrates the strong sense of belonging shared by all who walk through its doors.

Backside of interactive donor recognition panels.
A person interacting with the donor touch screen.
A close-up of a sign describing the community at Stella's Place.
A rendering of the donor wall concept.
  • 12K sq. ft. community space
  • 300+ 1-on-1 counselling sessions in 2022
  • 80% group session retention rate in 2022
“Forge Media + Design were a pleasure to work with. This project exceeded my expectations of what is possible with donor recognition and placemaking and I’m so proud of the result. I am especially grateful for the process they used to co-design this project with our program participants, staff and Board members. They really listened to our input and our voice is apparent throughout the space. Forge was responsive, engaged and professional for the whole of the process.”
Catherine Dyer, Director of Development

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CAMH

Toronto, ON
Services Deliverables
  • Signage
  • Wayfinding
  • Placemaking
  • Masterplanning
  • Donor Recognition
  • Illustration

Moving people through a holistic wayfinding approach

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital. CAMH drives innovative research, provides expert training to healthcare professionals, and advocates for social change. Working alongside Stantec and Acumen Visual Group, we developed a holistic wayfinding approach at CAMH’s Queen Street site to fully integrate two new CAMH campus buildings – Building B1 (McCain Complex Care & Recovery Building) and Building D1 (Crisis & Critical Care Building).

Clear and simple direction

Creating a welcoming sense of belonging

The wayfinding program uses critical campus points to help patients, workers and visitors reach their intended destinations safely and with clarity throughout the day. Signage recognizing the generous donors and their contributions is celebrated proudly in the newly built Crisis & Critical Care and McCain Complex Care & Recovery buildings.⁠

A new beginning for community care
Contribution as identity
Campus navigation
Expressing subtle brand cues with wayfinding

Improving the movement and flow of people in the space

The interior signage program for the new CAMH campus buildings improves the flow and movement of people throughout the space, as patients, visitors and staff have the tools they require to self-navigate the buildings. The signage welcomes the community and encourages people to utilize the building’s many resources.

Place and colour help inform wayfinding
Gender inclusivity and secure mounting are key features
Creating calm with hierarchy of information

Hand-drawn expressions depicting the people of CAMH

Vibrant murals featuring hand-drawn characters accompanied the written words of donors at the Ossington and Queen Street Campus.⁠⁠ A wall for each department – representing the patients, the caregivers and the staff at CAMH – was thoughtfully designed and placed the patient’s unique journey at the forefront of one’s experience.

Concept sketches
A moment of pause and recognition
  • $685M project value
  • 600K sq. ft. campus
  • 235 beds

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Deloitte Burlington

Burlington, ON
Services Deliverables
  • Signage
  • Wayfinding
  • Placemaking
  • Masterplanning

Connection to the regional landscape as workplace identity

Team identity and culture are hallmarks of Deloitte’s approach to their office experience. Creating a space for their new Burlington office that reflected the natural beauty unique to the community was key. Working in tandem with AFK Studios, Forge was asked to develop a communication program through wayfinding, placemaking and environmental graphics that distinctly expressed Deloitte’s brand presence while weaving a memorable narrative throughout the interior.

A mindful place

Bringing the magic of the outside, in

AFK Studio’s open, airy and modern interior design allowed Forge to create placemaking landmarks that helped anchor and define spaces for work and collaboration. The environmental graphic experience involved showcasing the region’s story through photography and graphics. These became the foundation for creating connections with the other branded signage and wayfinding elements.

A green arrival

Natural collaboration of form and function

Workspaces benefited from the integration of themed graphic motifs. Integrating these graphics into writable wall surfaces created highly functional rooms. This also helped strengthen the connection to place by creating seamless interaction with the work environment. While establishing a clear visual hierarchy in brand and communication, the program successfully helps both clients and staff understand and navigate their environment while creating pride in their space and its identity.

Flexible and themed collaboration surfaces
Connecting experience from lobby to Coffee Bar seating
  • 35.5K sq. ft. office space

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Liberty House

Services Deliverables
  • Logo
  • Brand Guide
  • Marketing Materials
  • Stationery
  • Signage
  • Wayfinding
  • Uniforms
  • Placemaking
  • Masterplanning

Fostering a culture of community within a community

Equipped with luxury amenities and stylish spaces, Liberty House is an elevated rental development that strives to provide a community-focused lifestyle for all residents. To fill a gap in the purpose-built rental space, Fitzrovia aimed to build high-quality rental units with desirable amenity packages marketed to the millennial renter. Forge worked with Fitzrovia Real Estate to define a name and develop a brand for this new property.

A preliminary sketch for the Liberty House logo
The Liberty House logo seen aligned to a grid
Preliminary sketch and a well structured logo for a fun brand
A sophisticated colour palette
A letterform of the letter A for the font Univers Ultra Condensed.
A letterform of the letter A for the font Univers.
Stylistic typography to communicate to the millennial audience

Resonating with the millennial renter

Seeking to evoke the community aspect of the property, the name Liberty House reflects the idea of one’s family all under one roof. The name also echoes the sense of pride and unity created by the development’s unique spaces, program offerings and amenities. Liberty House offers luxury living within reach to its residents.

Uniforms
Promotional materials and stationery

Luxury within reach

The property speaks to those looking for an aspirational lifestyle while remaining accessible to the young millennial renter. Curated elements of luxury are present in the buildings offerings and mirrored through the use of carefully chosen materials and custom flourishes throughout the signage program.

Custom pictograms to add flair to the signage program
Parking signage
Room signage, directional signage and floor ID’s
  • 290K sq. ft. of premium rental living space
  • 440 high-end rental units
  • 25 stories tall tower

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Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital

Vaughan, ON
Services Deliverables
  • Signage
  • Wayfinding
  • Masterplanning
  • Donor Recognition
  • Kiosk
  • Art Installation
  • Placemaking

Celebrating generosity in a tech-forward healthcare facility

Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital (CVH) is Canada’s first smart hospital, featuring innovative technology and medical devices that provide state-of-the-art healthcare to the surrounding communities of Vaughan, Ontario. The Mackenzie Health redevelopment team worked closely with Forge to bring the vision of a fully integrated donor recognition program for the hospital and exterior campus to celebrate those who made the impressive facility possible.

Building recognition
Welcoming arrival
Recognizing a family’s welcome

A multifaceted expression of gratitude

The goal of the donor recognition program was to ensure that every aspect worked seamlessly with the architecture and wayfinding program while providing donors with a sense of appreciation for their incredible generosity. The donor recognition walls collectively celebrate the impact of donors’ crucial contributions and inspire future givings, inform patients, visitors, and staff alike.

A garden of gratitude
Glowing recognition

An inspired donor-focused experience

CVH’s commitment to providing innovative healthcare became a central theme that inspired the development of this large-scale donor program. From the integrated programmable LED plinths on the exterior to three unique digital donor walls on the interior and donor signage throughout the campus, this suite of applications creates a beautifully varied, yet cohesive expression of appreciation.

Detailed view of donor recognition wall
Interactive donor recognition wall

Celebrating the wonder and joy of new beginnings

At the entrance to the maternity ward, families can commemorate and celebrate the arrival of their newborns. This large-scale display presents an interactive sky-themed mobile with baby name plaques hanging from its alphabetically categorized plates. Families can make a small contribution to showcase a personalized baby announcement, including the name, date, weight and photo of the child, triggered by tapping on the name plaques or using the user interface’s search function.

Character sketch and rendering design development
Large-scale display with baby announcements
  • 350 beds
  • 500 bed capacity
  • 1.2M sq. ft. hospital campus
  • 11 storeys

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Constitution Square

Services Deliverables
  • Logo
  • Brand Guide
  • Illustration
  • Hoarding
  • Brochure
  • Motion Graphics
  • Social Media
  • Kiosk
  • Signage
  • Wayfinding
  • Art Installation
  • Marketing Materials
  • Placemaking
  • Masterplanning
  • Video Production
  • Stationery
  • Website

Reimagining a workplace experience for a new era

Constitution Square is an upscale office complex in the west end of downtown Ottawa, Ontario. It is an amenity-rich space that promotes connectivity and fosters community while conveying a sense of pride in supporting the ever-changing workplace experience. The Canderel team looked to Forge to bring this vision of a holistic workplace to life through brand, physical and digital signage, interactive displays, and digital public art.

A playful logo for a serious office building
A preliminary sketch for the CSQ logo
Logo inspired by the three towers of the building and a simple colour palette to support the brand
Ownable typography to define all communications

Communicating an evolution to a modern audience

The newly established brand adds a sense of liveliness and forward-thinking reflected in the building’s vision—adopting a more casual tone of voice and a visual identity that is modern, friendly and relatable.

Custom illustrations to communicate all things about the brand
Bold hoarding to build suspense during construction
Digital brochure for sales team
Social media and poster campaign to promote the changes

Establishing a strong sense of community and space

Our team developed design solutions that ensured an intuitive understanding of the connectivity of the three towers throughout the newly renovated concourse. The foremost opportunity was to create a strong sense of place and clear awareness of which of the three towers you were in, regardless of which entrance was used.

Interactive building directory integrated into signage program
Bold signage to identify each of the three towers
Consistent signage application throughout the entire building complex

Art as a reflection of brand values

At the heart of each building’s lobby is a 4-sided LED column featuring a series of custom-crafted artwork that ties directly into the brand’s themes of Gather, Grow, Connect, Evolve. The three pillars create a symmetry between the buildings as you walk the concourse, and their impressive presence infuses the space with a sense of palpable energy and vivid life. They further underpin Canderel’s desire to make these public common areas a pleasant place to work and dwell.

Enhancing the lobby experience through a digital art installation on three centre columns
Digital art installation in action
  • 1986 year of completion of first tower
  • 1M+ sq. ft. office complex
  • 21 floors of highest tower
  • 3 towers that make up CSQ

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Winterberry Family Medicine

winterberrymedical.ca
Services Deliverables
  • Logo
  • Brand Guide
  • Illustration
  • Social Media
  • Signage
  • Stationery
  • Website
  • Marketing Materials
  • Motion Graphics
  • Placemaking

A fresh take on personal, caring family medicine

Winterberry is a dynamic, family-oriented medical clinic offering a wide variety of services through trusted in-person and virtual consultations. The Winterberry team approached Forge to revitalize and reposition their brand and website. The existing brand did not accurately represent the personalized care provided by the vibrant family practice team.

Logo design inspired by “berries”
An image showing the safe space around the Winterberry logo
Colour palette for Winterberry brand: Teal, light teal, orange, yellow, cherry, lime, blue.
Our brand standards defined everything including use of clear space and a bright colour palette supports the family style medical practice
A letterform of the letter A for the font IBM Plex Sans Condensed.
A letterform of the letter A for the font IBM Plex Sans.
A letterform of the letter A for the font Libre Baskerville in italics.
Clean and modern typography to convey the messages to all audiences

Redefining the healthcare experience

Forge met with Winterberry stakeholders to determine the existing brand’s pain points and developed a strategy to make the most of the reimagined brand. Playful illustration expresses the brand’s personality and allows the clinic to stand out from their competitors.

Custom illustration were created to liven up the brand
A matching icon set supports all brand visuals

Timely information for a thriving social network

Communicating with existing patients through social media allows the Winterberry team to share frequent updates on current and immediate information regarding statistics, scheduling, healthcare tips, and more. A comprehensive social media production guide was created for the internal marketing team to easily create content in a consistent tone and voice.

Social media production guide for use by in-house team
Social media graphics samples

A sense of trust and approachability

Ensuring the brand could be applied to various touchpoints and deliverables was crucial, as well as creating a welcoming environment that evokes the feeling of dependability and trust in all patients.

Window clings announced the new brand to the neighbourhood
ID Badges for their team and stationery including colourful business cards

Shaping the online experience

Content strategy sessions were held with the goal of optimizing information and ensuring users are presented with the most appropriate content with minimal effort. Before establishing a visual language, website architecture was established in order to improve communications and create a frictionless browsing experience.

Sitemap for the new website
Hand sketched wireframes

Modern, progressive patient care

An overhauled website was created that is fully responsive, and ensures accessibility compliance for all user types. The brand’s vibrance is showcased throughout the website experience, representing the best of modern and progressive patient care.

Features

WordPress CMS
User account portal
Online appointment booking
Monthly newsletter
Google analytics
Custom icons

Device agnostic website design and development
  • 400% anticipated growth in patients over next 5 years
  • 10K+ current number of patients
Working with the Forge team quickly became one of the best parts of my week. The entire team made the process incredibly easy, stress-free and to be honest, fun. Their creativity and innovative ideas brought our vision to life in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
Sharon Ricci, Communications Director

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