Signage as a real-world study project at the Berlin campus

Signage as a real-world study project at the Berlin campus

How Communication Design students helped shape the campus

The wayfinding system at the SRH Campus Berlin is more than just a design element – it is the result of a project undertaken as part of the Bachelor’s degree in Communication Design. It was developed by student Levente Janeck in collaboration with Prof. Christopher Jung and Prof. Marcus Fischer (Interior Design) – from analysis and concept through to implementation in the physical space.

The project thus exemplifies the programme’s approach: design is not considered in isolation, but developed within the context of use, space and brand.

What is wayfinding design – and why is it relevant?
Wayfinding design refers to the visual design of orientation systems in complex spaces. It combines typography, information design, architecture and user guidance.

The focus is on questions such as:

• How do people intuitively find their way around buildings?
• How must information be structured and designed to be quickly comprehensible?
• How is a corporate design translated into the physical space?

This makes wayfinding a key area of application for communication designers – particularly in the fields of corporate design, spatial communication and experience design. In the Bachelor’s degree in Communication Design, this is a specialisation in the 10th semester.

Integration into the degree programme: From fundamentals to spatial communication

The project ties in directly with the structure of the degree programme:

• Semesters 1–2: Laying the foundations
  Students develop design fundamentals in modules such as typography, photography, media and communication theory, interactive design, animation, film conception, editorial design and Media Labs (programme studies). This is where the visual and conceptual foundations for later projects are established.
• 3rd–4th semesters: Concept and brand
  In modules such as marketing, communication strategy, brand management, digital brand design and corporate design, students learn to think strategically about visual systems and to develop brand identities.
• 6th semester: Communication in space
  It is only here that signaletics and scenography are specifically addressed: in the modules Communication in Space, 3D Design and Audiovisual Communication, students engage with topics including spatial communication, user guidance and the translation of design into built environments.

This is complemented by project-oriented modules and the SRH CORE principle, under which students regularly work on real-world assignments.