Bloedel Hall Wayfinding Design Competition

Submission Window Closing THIS FRIDAY (APRIL 24) @11:59PM!

Competition Guidelines & Submission Requirements

About the Competition

We are inviting the UW community to help us solve a real design challenge: how do people find us?

Our institute recently relocated to a newly renovated space in the basement of Bloedel Hall. We are running an open design competition to collect feasible, UW-brand-aligned signage concepts that help visitors, students, and colleagues navigate to our space — from the building entrance(s), through the lobby, and down to our door(s).

This is a proposal-only competition. You are not required to fabricate or install anything. We want your best thinking: what the signs should look like, where they should go, how much they might cost, and why they work.

The winning concept(s) will be reviewed by our building coordinator and facilities team for approval, and the selected design will be implemented using a $5,000 budget earmarked for fabrication and installation.

The Design Challenge

Design a wayfinding signage system for Bloedel Hall that guides people from the building entrance(s), through the lobby, and down to our door(s). Your proposal should show not just what the signs look like, but where they go and why (accounting for decision points, sightlines, elevator access, and user flow).

Building Constraints — Please Read Carefully

All proposals must work within the following building rules. Designs that do not comply will be disqualified.

1. No permanent exterior signage that penetrates the building envelope. No drilling or fasteners through exterior surfaces.
2. Preferred interior solutions are adhesive vinyl for interior walls and window decals or clings installed on the inside of exterior-facing windows.
3. Event or temporary signage may include sandwich boards and lawn signs where appropriate.
4. All designs must follow UW brand guidelines (no profanity or derogatory language).

To enter the building, you must have a UW Husky card. Building hours are between 7 am and 7:30 pm.

Not sure what these sign types look like? Here are some plain-language examples:

• Interior wall vinyl: A printed graphic or text applied directly to a painted interior wall (like a large sticker). It can be removed without damaging the surface.
• Window decal/cling: A printed graphic applied to the inside surface of a glass window (visible from outside). Think of directional arrows or room names on glass doors.
• Sandwich board: A freestanding A-frame sign that sits on the floor. No installation required.

Who Should Apply

This competition is open to current UW students, staff, and faculty at any campus. Individuals and teams are both welcome to apply. There is no design degree required — we welcome creative thinkers from any discipline.

Teams:

If submitting as a team, designate one primary contact. All team members must hold a UW affiliation and UW email address.

Resources

Use the following resources to build your proposal. The Google Drive folder contains the official Wayfinding Comp Template (.pptx), high-resolution floor plans, and site photos of Bloedel Hall.

Awards

Three prizes will be awarded. Prizes will be awarded in the form of a Visa Gift Card. Prizes awarded to teams will be split between team members.

We anticipate awarding $50 gift cards to the top 20 entries that meet the minimum proposal requirements.

Five finalists will be selected to present their signs to our staff and community the week of May 4th. Finalist will be notified via email on May 1st with a request to select their presentation time and to provide their high-resolution sign designs for printing considerations and further review.

Winners will be announced May 8th. The winning design will move into a facilities review and implementation process where the facilities team and staff will coordinate logistics to get the signs printed and installed.

Timeline

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges using a documented rubric. Submissions are evaluated on:

• Wayfinding clarity — Wayfinding clarity and impact — Does the system actually help someone find the space? Are decision points addressed?
• Feasibility — Can this be implemented within building constraints and the $5,000 budget?
• UW brand alignment — Does the design follow UW visual identity standards?
• Accessibility — Does the system support legibility, contrast, plain language, and inclusive navigation?
• Creativity & visual quality — Is the design compelling, clear, and well-presented?
• Neuroinclusive wayfinding signage: uses clear language, consistent visual cues, low sensory load, and predictable layouts so people with diverse cognitive and sensory needs can easily understand where they are, where to go, and what to expect.

Submissions are reviewed anonymously. The pitch cover page should contain only the team name and project title. Identifying information should appear only on your google submission form. Please keep all other proposal pages free of identification information.