Penn Medicine: Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine

In the design process of The Perelman Center, Penn Medicine recognized an opportunity to enhance brand affinity while planning for significant changes to campus orientation and navigation. To deepen our understanding of this challenge, Exit Design engaged hospital staff, faculty, patients, and visitors to analyze the current experience and anticipate future paths of travel and common points of confusion, uncovering ways to enhance navigation and reinforce brand equity.

We developed a facility-wide identity and wayfinding master plan, followed by the design of a low footprint signage system. The zoned wayfinding strategy for this first phase of central buildings considers future expansion and creates a verbal language for direction giving.

The Perelman Center was made possible by generous capital campaign contributions, and recognizing those donors was of great importance. Exit designed an integrated, multi-level donor wall using oxidized bronze dimensional type in a font to match interior signage.

Exit Design delivered

Experience Design
Identity and Wayfinding
Donor Recognition

Size

800,000 square feet

In association with

Rafael Viñoly Architects

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Awards

AIGA Philadelphia Design Award

The core elements of the Penn Medicine brand are Education, Research, and Medicine. Inspired by these priorities, the foundational elements of the signage program are a triptych identity feature.

The quality of the visitor journey was considered a top priority in the design process, as well as the reinforcement the Penn Medicine brand of quality and caring at every touchpoint.

Light filtering through the glass-walled backdrop (and changeable light block carrier panels) subtly illuminates the letters arranged along a primary atrium wall. Four text sizes indicate donor levels, and the installation can expand horizontally or vertically as people join the donor family.