Wayfinding for Sleaford 1, Lincolnshire – strategy

About this Project

North Kesteven District Council issued a tender for a new wayfinding strategy in Sleaford, which we were delighted to be awarded. This involved researching the existing brand guidelines and resources, developing a new brand and toolkit, creating a basemap and providing a DSP (design specification pack).

Sleaford is an attractive market town in Lincolnshire on the River Slea. It boasts a market dating back to the 12th Century, a wealth of interesting architecture, independent shops and importantly a vibrant craft culture. This combined with some first class eating establishments makes Sleaford a very worthwhile destination.

The existing wayfinding was sporadic with fingerposts being damaged and most of the signage outdated. There was a desire to make Sleaford more pedestrian friendly and part of that was to provide attractive wayfinding which would also enhance the Sleaford ‘brand’. We put together a package including a full audit of the existing wayfinding, identify notable themes within Sleaford, creation of a customised map and finally a Design Specification Pack which could be used by NKDC to create a public tender for the implementation.

An important part of our wayfinding strategies is that they are designed by people who also manufacture. We know what works and what doesn’t and we always create a scheme which is sustainable – both environmentally AND financially. The scheme must be right first time and blend into the overall atmosphere of the place yet stand out distinctively.

We were very pleased to be awarded the implementation tender too, and that’s a story for another time!