Up Close and “Environmental”

There’s a unfamiliar acronym buzzing around the world of planners, architects and interior designers.   Within the secluded whispers moving from one work station to the next, the term EGD is popping up more and more.  Many folks haven’t a clue what EDG stands for.  Just when they thought it was safe to speak intelligently about branding and placemeling, another ambiguous design discipline rears its ugly head!   “EGD” stands for Environmental Graphic Design. This is a discipline that includes just about anything that graphically affects our environment in the built world, primarily signage or decorative art used to identify, inform, direct, restrict, entertain or promote.

Most Design firms specializing in EGD, such as Mayfield Creative, focus their efforts on one or more distinct classifications.  These include Hospitality (hotels, restaurants),Institutional (hospitals, universities, prisons, research facilities), Retail (malls, store fronts, special themeing, display), Mass Transit (airports, train stations, bus depots), Exhibit(Museums, Zoos), Entertainment (theme parks, casinos, golf resorts) Residential (planned communities, apartment buildings), Corporate (office buildings), and Municipal (cities, government buildings, public parks, recreational facilities, historical districts).

Up until the late seventies, there was no such thing as Environmental Graphic Design.  No collegiate course of study existed for sign design.  The task of designing elements that fell under today’s classification of EGD, was awkwardly and inconsistently shared by architects, print designers, advertising agencies, sign fabricators and an occasional house painter.

Today, EGD is a fast growing and lucrative market.  There are design firms who do nothing but Environmental Graphics.  Some have been so successful that they, at times are awarded the role as prime contractor on graphically driven architectural projects, hiring architects and interior designers as sub contractors instead of the other way around.

A moderate project could bring in $10,000 to $50,000 in design fees.  A larger project could bring in anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000 in design fees.  Some design firms are bringing in fees as much as $500,000 or more depending on the extended life of a project and how diverse the design assignment is.  Fabrication costs for a city wayfinding project would run between $200,000 to well over a million.

-Todd Mayfield is a long time member and supporter of SEGD (Society of Environmental Graphic Design) has been instrumental in its structure and professional practices since the mid 70’s.