Legible London, the wayfinding system designed by Applied Information Group to help
 make London a world-class walking city, has won a top honour award at the USA’s Society
of Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) Design Awards.


The award win suggests that Legible London could provide a model for wayfinding in other
 world capitals and shows what can be achieved with the close collaboration of designers, 
city transport authorities and city administrative bodies. AIG partner Tim Fendley collected 
the award at a ceremony in Washington DC on Thursday, 3 June 2010.


The Legible London system comprises street signs, information at bus stops and
 Underground arrival points, along with printed maps with digital and mobile media planned
 for the future. The scheme was launched in November 2007 in London’s West End, with a
 prototype of signs designed with AIG’s product design partners Lacock Gullam. Since then,
 the scheme has been extended widely across central London and local pilots are being run 
in three major London areas, with AIG in a supervisory role.


AIG formed the idea for Legible London as part of a Central London Partnership project 
funded by Transport for London (TfL). The original study identified the considerable 
benefits of walking in the capital: healthier individuals, greater footfall for retail and 
leisure, environmental benefits, safety for the community and the alleviation of pressure on 
other transport systems.


Evaluation research, probably the most comprehensive of its kind in the world, indicated
 after one year that the prototype had reduced journey times in the area by 16%, and that 
85% of people thought it was easy to use and 90% thought it should be rolled out across the
 capital. The scheme also reduced street clutter as duplicate information and unnecessary
 signs were removed.


Talking about the award, Tim Fendley of AIG and lead designer for Legible London said, 
‘The fact that Legible London clearly had resonance with SEGD’s international jurors
 supports our belief that the principles of walking cities have the potential for global
 application. Solving the challenges of wayfinding in any capital city is a complex problem
 of human habit, contradictory information design, varied stakeholder agendas and a
 constantly evolving map, both physical, economic and social. By responding to these
 challenges in London we have pushed the boundaries of information design to produce 
innovative solutions and ground-breaking ideas. We believe these principles can be
 adapted and applied anywhere in the world.’


-ends

Editor’s Notes


Applied Information Group

AIG is a multi-disciplinary firm of information designers, urban and transport planners based 
in London and Vancouver. AIG works on identity, environmental and digital projects with an 
information design approach. AIG’s specialist urban practice is recognised as a leader in the 
field of wayfinding and public information systems. In addition to London, AIG is currently 
working with the cities of Glasgow, Leeds, Brighton, Milton Keynes, Dublin and Vancouver.


AIG are partnered with Lacock Gullam, product designers who specialise in the field of
 wayfinding and products for the built environment.


The SEGD Design Awards

Exceptional environmental graphic design is recognized in the annual SEGD Design Awards
 Program, illustrating the pan-disciplinary nature of visual communications in the built
 environment. Winning projects have included complex wayfinding systems, branding and 
identity work, retail and interior projects, exhibition design, and public art installations. 
Awards are conferred by multidisciplinary, international juries.


For further press information and images for reproduction please contact:
 Deborah Richardson on +44 (0)7973 601 626 or email deborah@objectives.co.uk