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ASI Signage Innovations

Signage Innovations for Over 30 Years

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Innovative Signage for Innovative Hospital

11th December 2018 by Kelly Sheldon O’Byrne

ASI Signage collaborated with University of Iowa Health Care, Heery International architectural team, and Gilbane, the general contractor, early in the planning process to create all new signage for University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, as well as updating existing signage with rebranded designs.

First Things First

The project began with ground identification and wayfinding signage solutions throughout the new underground parking ramp that was built prior to the completion of the new children’s hospital.

Interior Updates

Within UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, custom Infinity Photopolymer signs with tactile graphics have modular components that are easy and affordable to update in addition to being ADA Compliant. They also are part of the hospital’s wayfinding system that includes floor-by-floor color coding and iconography. During construction, UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital went through a rebranding that required new graphics to be incorporated into the interior and wayfinding signage.

Donor Recognition

Another major component of the project was to incorporate donor recognition displays with several donor walls placed throughout the hospital in elevator lobbies. These donor walls have a distinctive design with a series of glass panels that mimics the look of the quilt pattern used in branded materials throughout the hospital. To help control costs, the ASI Signage team engineered a solution using glass and in-house digital printing to achieve the same high-end design expectations.

Exterior Signage

The challenge with the exterior signage was to create two immense sets of custom fabricated illuminated letter panels and install them at the top of the hospital, which has 12 levels above ground, and two below ground. ASI Signage experts translated architectural renderings into a custom sign solution that looked like a carved stone construction with edge-lit LEDs. ASI engineered the exterior signs and worked with the architectural façade firm to maintain color consistency for the exterior cladding. The results are picture perfect, a true representation of architectural signage.

Heart of the Matter

Collaboration was very important throughout this project to achieve the look and feel of all components of this signage system. From top to bottom this project embodies the ASI team’s capabilities to engineer, manufacture, and install a complete architectural signage package as part of the planning and construction teams.

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Filed Under: Case Studies, Interior Signage, Iowa, Sign Product Tagged With: directional signage, donor recognition signs, illuminated letter signage, Iowa sign company

ASI Employee Profile: Bryce Carlson

15th November 2017 by Kelly Sheldon O’Byrne

Meet Bryce Carlson, Eastern Iowa Sign Expert

Bryce Carlson

How long have you been with ASI?

I’ve worked for ASI for almost 18 years. I met the owner Tom Latimer when one of my college buddies married Tom’s daughter. The projects they worked on always sounded so interesting, so I was really excited when I got a voicemail from Tom one day saying that he needed a new sales rep and wanted to meet with me. And I’ve been selling signs ever since.

What area do you represent?

I live and work in Iowa City, but I work on projects all over Eastern Iowa. I transferred to Iowa City in 2006 because we had a lot of projects going on with the University of Iowa and University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) and I wanted to establish myself as a local resource. Instead of having to drive in for meetings or site visits, I can walk there.

What project you are really proud of?

We helped rebrand Carver Hawkeye Arena for the men’s and women’s basketball team, and that project involved a large graphics package. I hadn’t worked on many projects before this with large-format printing and millwork, so it was initially a little out of my wheelhouse. Even though the project had a rushed timeline, our team responded well to the challenge and the results were outstanding. It’s become a showcase piece for other clients who are interested in seeing what we can do with oversized graphics.

What differentiates ASI?

Open and honest lines of communication. I take pride in being accountable to my clients as well as the fabricators at the plant. For example, we recently helped UIHC with the new children’s hospital. The designers had a great vision for what the signature exterior sign would look like, and I brought in material and fabrication experts from our Grinnell location to brainstorm how we could bring this unique designs into reality. We went through many prototypes, but working together we created something that worked well for the hospital, the architects, and our fabricators.

We don’t promise things we can’t deliver. I think it’s so important to be proactive and have those discussions with clients and architects early in the process so that everyone has a clear understanding of what materials and fabrication methods are needed to achieve the desired look while staying within the budget.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I spend a lot of my free time coaching my son’s Little Hawks baseball team and my daughter’s flag football team. It’s a lot of fun. I’m not a shy or quiet kind of guy, so coaching gives me a good excuse to be shouting on the sidelines or joking around with the players.

If you could go an all-expenses-paid dream vacation, where would you go?

I’d go to Europe. My wife and I went to London for our honeymoon, but I’d love to go back and explore more of Western Europe. I’m a WWII history buff—always watching documentaries and stuff. So if I had all the time and money to do it, I’d love to take my family to experience that history in person.

Have a question for Bryce, or just want to chat sports? Email him at bryce.carlson@asisignage.com.

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Filed Under: Iowa, Misc., Sign Service Tagged With: architectural signage, custom signage, Iowa sign company, printed graphic signs

Proactive Problem Solving is how ASI Saves the Day for Clients

26th September 2017 by Tony Squire

Solving potential architectural signage installation issues before they become a problem for the client is how ASI’s commitment to excellence distinguishes itself from the rest of the industry.

ASI recently completed a complete signage package for the Element by Westin hotel in West Des Moines, Iowa. Hotels are challenging from an architectural signage standpoint, requiring signs which serve a variety of purposes for guests and staff. Thanks to our proactive project focus, ASI’s local representative, Tony Squire, project manager and professional installers were able to solve the issues before they became a problem for the client.

Challenge #1: Wiring a large, illuminated exterior sign without affecting guest rooms.

Exterior Signage for Element Hotel by Westin

SOLUTION: ASI Signage experts identified early that the wiring for the massive exterior sign was running into a guest room. They worked with the contractor during the open wall construction phase to reroute the wiring and locate transformer boxes in an interior hallway. This solution creates a seamless guest experience and provides easy access to the transformers.


 

Challenge #2: Construction updates changed wayfinding signage placement needs.

ADA Signage Des Moines

SOLUTION: A few changes to the original architectural plan during construction changed some signage needs and the placement of several signs. Local project managers who were frequently onsite were able to make changes to the signage plan and work with ASI’s professional installers to make sure everything was placed accurately.


 

Challenge #3: Between the design phase and completed construction on the hotel, fire code regulations changed in West Des Moines.

Fire code signage Des Moines

SOLUTION: ASI Signage experts recognized that the change in the Des Moines fire code would have implications for their client. Emergency evacuation and wayfinding signs were proactively updated to comply with the new regulations. The fire marshal approved our solution and saved the client from frustrating delays.

“Having a partner that is willing to run with signage on a hospitality project in a turnkey fashion is critical for us,” says Dave Thorpe, Managing Director, Design & Construction.

Learn more about this project or others by contacting Tony at tony.squire@asisignage.com.
OR
Find your local ASI Signage rep at http://asisignage.com/locations

Read the Full Case Study


Proactive Solutions Create a Seamless Signage Experience

With attention to detail and responsive project management, ASI fixes issues before they become problems for our clients.

Hotels constantly have consumers moving in and out of its space, and hotel signs serve many purposes. The design, functionality, and clarity of signage connects consumers to the hotel’s brand, directs guests where to go, and keeps guests safe with emergency instructions.

ASI recently completed a complete signage package for the Element by Westin hotel in West Des Moines, Iowa. This modern hotel is committed to eco-friendly practices and healthy living. ASI’s goal was to match the hotel’s sleek style and focus on sustainability. The hotel’s complex series of signage required ASI’s hands-on approach to design, manufacturing, quality-control, and installation.

  • Element Hotel by Westin
  • Element Hotel by Westin
  • Element Hotel by Westin
  • Element Hotel by Westin
  • Element Hotel by Westin
  • Element Hotel by Westin
  • Element Hotel by Westin
  • Element Hotel by Westin

Illuminated, Custom Branded Exterior Signage

Drawing colors from the Element hotel’s logo, the exterior aluminum and acrylic signs are dark gray with pops of lime green. LED illumination is a savvy choice with low-energy costs and minimal maintenance.

Luckily, ASI signage experts were engaged early in the process. A potential issue was identified with an exterior illuminated letter set and craft a solution before it became an expensive problem for the client. Directly behind the letters of the exterior sign with the hotel’s name was a guest room. To avoid interrupting the guests’ experience with bulky transformer boxes, ASI was able to mobilize several months early in the overall construction process & install all secondary LED wiring necessary for the illumination and relocate the transformers to an interior hallway. This solution allows easy access to the transformer box without impeding on a guest’s space.

Sleek & Attractive Wayfinding Signage

Sign placement and messaging are critical to wayfinding signage within the hotel. With local project managers onsite, ASI signage experts could adapt signage from the original architectural plans to match the elements in the finished product. For example, a grassy courtyard design was updated during construction, and instead of placing the sign in the middle of a new sidewalk, ASI was able to update the location and install it in the best place.

The signs also had to blend seamlessly with the hotel’s smart, stylish look. Laser etching on frosted acrylic that appears to float over a bamboo backdrop provides directional signage that suits the modern spa-like feel of the hotel.

Fire Code Compliant Emergency Exit Signage

Between the design phase and completed construction on the hotel, ASI discovered that fire code regulations had changed in West Des Moines in 2017. They were able to make design changes, update the signage placement plan, and install the correct fire code information on a multitude of signs throughout the building. This proactive solution saved the client time and stress.

“Having a partner that is willing to run with signage on a hospitality project in a turnkey fashion is critical for us, says Dave Thorpe, Managing Director, Design & Construction.

It’s beneficial to clients to have local project managers and professional installers working with architects and contractors early in the process to help identify and address issues to prevent frustrating delays later on during construction. Solving issues before they become a problem for the client is how ASI’s commitment to excellence distinguishes itself from the rest of the industry.

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Filed Under: Case Studies, Iowa, Sign Service Tagged With: architectural signage, des moines signage, hotel signs, Iowa sign company

ASI Employee Profile: Tony Squire

25th September 2017 by Kristin Adkins

Meet Tony Squire, Central Iowa Sign Expert

Tony Squire

Meet ASI’s 2016 Rookie of the Year

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day starts with breakfast with my daughters, they are 2 and almost 4. Once I drop them off at daycare, I hit the road. My days are packed with appointments with architects and clients. So I spend a lot of my day in meetings working through ideas, designs and coming up with signage solutions that suit their needs and always answering questions.

What geographic area do you represent?

I cover most of central Iowa with a majority of clients in the Des Moines metro. I rack up about 12,000 miles a year traveling from the Minnesota to the Missouri border.

What is a signage project you are really proud of?

I’m really proud of a couple big projects this year.
First, the Outlets of Des Moines located in Altoona, IA. I was able to win this highly competitive, high profile project, with the client being in Boston. This project includes everything from back of house compliance signage to exterior wayfinding signs for traffic and pedestrians. There are also numerous branded logo signs and a huge LED illuminated 25-foot pylon sign. It was exciting to watch the production progress of these signs.
Second, the Element by Westin hotel in West Des Moines, IA. Again, another highly competitive project with the client being out of state, in Colorado. After an extensive interview process, we came out on top. Working with a client from the beginning as I did with the Element team is ideal. I’m able to find solutions to issues before they became problems. Like relocating power from a guest room to the hallway to reduce disruptions in that room if there are any sign problems.

What is your favorite signage product?

We have a new product that is a spin off of cor-ten steel. It provides the rust look, and because it’s aluminum, it’s lighter and less expensive than steel. It’s great to work for a company that places an importance on innovation and finding new ways to do/create things.

What differentiates ASI?

Our knowledgeable and experienced in-house signage design team differentiates us. When I’m trying to help a client figure out specifically what they need for their project, having a team that can conceptualize ideas, design that idea, AND create a prototype of the idea is fantastic. People could pay a design firm big bucks just to come up with ideas that we would fabricate, but we can do that for our clients if they like.
Also, everyone at ASI truly wants to help our clients get the best solution for their project and budget.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I spend a lot of time with my family. We have a ritual with all my girls, every Saturday we go to Hurts Donuts for breakfast. They look forward to it all week, it’s our thing.

If you could go an all-expenses-paid dream vacation, where would you go?

Italy! My grandparents came over to the United States from Italy, I’d love to go back and see where they grew up and experience our family’s heritage.

 

For the opportunity to work with Tony and the rest of the ASI Signage Latimer Group team, contact us today. 

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Filed Under: Iowa, Misc. Tagged With: des moines signage, Iowa sign company, sign experts

Custom Signage is on Par for Grinnell College Golf Course

29th August 2017 by Ben Latimer

Grinnell College Golf CourseGrinnell College is undergoing a multi-year project to transform the campus’ landscape. The first phase of project began in Spring of 2017 with updates to the college’s golf course. The architect came to ASI with an idea. They didn’t want a standard product for tee box markers and other wayfinding signs.

ASI took their designs and engineered the exact specifications to make their desired look come to life. ASI signage experts found the optimal material for durability and ease of maintenance.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Case Studies, Iowa Tagged With: Campus Signage, Iowa Signage, outdoor wayfinding

Case Study: Hancher Auditorium – University of Iowa

23rd May 2017 by Bryce Carlson

Hancher AuditoriumHancher Auditorium, the premier performing arts venue in Eastern Iowa, was destroyed in 2008 in an historic 100-year flood. The new home for this premier performing arts center opened in September 2016 with a highly efficient and sustainable design. The building’s grand design, shape, and features are all very distinctive to fit the function of the venue and the landscape on which it resides.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Case Studies, Iowa Tagged With: custom signage, donor recognition display, Iowa sign company

How Wayfinding Can Help Improve Campus Traffic – Iowa Central Case Study

5th October 2015 by Kristin Adkins

The Iowa Central Community College (ICCC) is a community college located in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Wayfinding

Iowa Central

A Pedestrian Map

After a major campus expansion of multiple new building projects and a complete campus re-design, ICCC’s existing signage had become outdated and inefficient. And with a large percentage of commuting students looking primarily for assigned parking areas, the beginning of each school semester was showing the limitations of the wayfinding. The loop road serving the campus and also providing access to the parking areas had become a problematic decision point on the entrance drive between the public street and the loop road which created major bottlenecks. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Case Studies, Iowa Tagged With: exterior directional signage, Iowa Signage, Legacy sign series

Sioux Center Health Case Study

29th June 2015 by Todd Carey

Sioux Center HealthThe community of Sioux Center built a new 120,000 sq. foot, state of the art hospital and medical clinic, opening in 2014. They required a complete interior and exterior signage and wayfinding solution as well as digital display and donor wall designs.

The hospital has a distinct 5 neighborhood themes for the 5 different areas/services offered. In assisting with wayfinding and identifying these areas the signage was designed with a digital print accent for the Prairie, Urban Life, Healing Garden, Babbling Brook and Agriculture themed areas. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Case Studies, Iowa Tagged With: Institutional wayfinding signage, interior and exterior signage, Iowa sign company

How to Completely Change Your Brand With Signage – Bankers Trust Case Study

23rd March 2015 by Kristin Adkins

Bankers TrustBankers Trust is a Des Moines based family-owned bank with 18 locations across Central Iowa, Omaha, NE, Sioux Falls, SD and Phoenix, AZ.

Bankers Trust went through a 2-year long rebranding initiative, which culminated in 2014 with rebranded interior and exterior signage at all of their locations. This included upgrading their signs to energy efficient LED lighting and replacing all of their electronic message boards to Watchfire units, which also allowed them all to be controlled from one central location. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Case Studies, Iowa, Nebraska Tagged With: branding sinage, custom signs, exterior sins, interior signage

Signs of Hope – How the Cedar Rapids Public Library Overcame a Flood

18th February 2015 by Kristin Adkins

Cedar Rapids Public Library

In 2008, a flood considered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be “one of the worst and most costly floods in Iowa–and even U.S. history” completely destroyed the Cedar Rapids downtown Public Library building, along with half of the library’s collection.

After leasing space at the Westdale Mall and consolidating the collection with books from other libraries, the town of Cedar Rapids eventually began construction of a new downtown Public Library in 2012. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Iowa, News, Videos Tagged With: Cedar Rapids Sign Company, donor recognition signs, exterior signage, interior wayfinding signage

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