Wow, you’re all here— really here! Thank you all so much ... · branding of the City as “Life. Well Crafted.” and features including “City Walk” a mile-long trail, connecting

MAKINGP L A C E S

Texas Historical Commisson • January 15, 2019

R E A L

Wow, you’re all here—really here! Thank you all so much for coming.

I think what we have in store is going to be fun and going to inspire you to think more about some of your favorite places.

So, hello there! My name is Therese Huffman. I’m the owner and founder of Signature Design. I have a background in graphic and environmental design and have been running the company since 1993. I’m currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, but Signature Design has worked on projects in China, Canada, Europe, South America, and across the United States.

Therese Huffman

We are a unique collaboration between planners, designers, writers, architects, and multimedia creatives.

We create captivating experiences for visitors to sites of natural, cultural, and historical significance.

Studio Space, circa 2016

[photos of the many iterations of SD: the old office, smiling with the Arabia crew, construction of Buckhead marker with DeNyse…]

I have to admit something right away: I wouldn’t be anywhere without my team, my clients, and my family. It’s the projects and the communities I work with that have all the answers. We merely follow a creative process and our intuition—to capture the best ideas and make them “real”.

Otis Redding MonumentGray, Ga

1,000 people attended the ribbon cutting in the small city of Gray, GA. Otis’s wife and daughter officiated the street party.

The Otis Redding Tribute sits next to a new picnic area and visitor center at the entrance into the refurbished downtown. The exhibit has a a sound component offering 12 of Otis’s favorite songs to be played.

The clients and organization I get to partner with are one of the best parts of my job.

Some work for municipalities, some for public lands, some with local historical societies, and some with multinational organizations.

But they are all passionate, knowledgeable, and energized by the mission behind the groups they represent.

They are eager to share the stories of these places with everybody.

Arabia Mountain National Heritage AreaLithonia, Ga

B E F O R E

If this is your first time working with a design team, words like “placemaking”, “interpretation”, and “visitor experience design” can seem a little… esoteric.

“ P L A C E M A K I N G ”

“ I N T E R P R E T A T I O N ”

“ V I S I T O R E X P E R I E N C E ”

But our ultimate goal is simple: to design solutions that help all visitors enjoy these special places.

When you or your family visits a new place, there’s an expectation of signage to guide you to the entrance, a plaque to explain a historic building, or a visitor’s center with information.

Our programs aim to be inclusive across age, knowledge, and ability because we want as many people as possible to benefit from these experiences.

Radium SpringsAlbany, GA

So during my brief presentation this afternoon, I’m going to give you a peek behind the curtain to show how Signature Design has turned some empty plots into places that have a real impact on real communities.

When I talk about the work we do at Signature Design, what I typically get asked is, “What did your team actually do here?”

…It’s a good question! Sometimes we design a signage program, sometimes we craft an interactive experience, sometimes we build outdoor monuments, sometimes we tell stories through exhibits…

Most of the time though, it’s easiest just to show what we do.

Here are some of our favorite places we recently helped to make “real”

PA R T I

JOURNEYTO REAL

The Nachusa Grasslands is a 3,500 acres tallgrass prairie conservancy located near Franklin Grove in Lee County, Illinois. It is operated by the Nature Conservancy.

Nachusa GrasslandsFranklin, Il

B E F O R E

The Visitor Center sits atop a gently sloping hill at 2075 S. Lowden Road and features educational panels that tell the story of the grasslands. People come to experience the peace of the prairie...


A F T E R

... and hopefully get a look at the bison!


A L WA Y S

As one of 49 National Heritage Areas in the US, the 40,000-acres Arabia Mountain Heritage Area, Lithonia, Georgia, is a place where historic, natural, and cultural sites intersect and are shared with the public.

Arabia Mountain QuarryLithonia, Ga

WA Y B E F O R E

The mission of the interpretive program is to enrich the visitor while guiding them to “gateways” into cherished places for natural and historic experiences and recreation.


A F T E R


A F T E R

The Auburn Avenue Underpass, Atlanta, GA, is a key stop on the route of the new trolley line to run between many of Atlanta attraction at Olympic Park and the Martin Luther King historic site. It has not been viewed as an attractive or a safe place.

Auburn Avenue UnderpassAtlanta, Ga

B E F O R E

The design of the enhancement was in response to the Community’s desire for bringing back the feeling of their neighborhood’s long history, much of which was wiped-out by the highway development running through it. Along with goals to make this place feel safe and become a visitor attraction.

Auburn Avenue UnderpassAtlanta, Ga

A F T E R

The 4,000 square foot, Dahlonega Gold Museum is located in the 1838 historic Lumpkin County Courthouse sitting in the center of Dahlonega’s town square.

Dahlonega Gold MuseumDahlonega, Ga

B E F O R E

The Georgia DNR hired us to perform a complete overhaul of this treasured Georgia historic site, which was last touched by exhibit designers in 1981. Now, it has transformed into the centerpiece of the Dahlonega tourism experience


A F T E R

Before the museum’s renovation the $1.3 Million valued Dahlonega Minted Gold Coin Collection was odly confined to feel “safe” in a “safe”. It was dimly lit and hard to view.


B E F O R E

The new display is a special secuity case that can be viewed from all sides and edge lights the text and pieces in the collection.


A F T E R

The City of Hickory, NC wants a growing thriving community to attract young professionals and families to want to come there to live.

City of Hickory GatewayHickory, NC

B E F O R E

Through a new branding of the City as “Life. Well Crafted.” and features including “City Walk” a mile-long trail, connecting the Highway 40 Gateway to the center of downtown and the length of the downtown. There are crafted amenities and interpretive experiences interspersed along the urban corridor.

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City of Hickory GatewayHickory, NC

A F T E R

Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail is a mile-long trail built to boost both the City of Helen and Hardman Farm State Historic Site tourism numbers.

Helen to Hardman Heritage TrailHelen, Ga

B E F O R E

The Trail meanders along the scenic Chattahoochee River and provide visitors with opportunities for picnicking, biking and walking, access to fishing and kayak platforms and interactive interpretive stations - while taking in the scenic beauty of this charming north Georgia community.

Helen to Hardman Heritage TrailHelen, Ga

A F T E R

Whether working with sites of natural beauty or places of historical and cultural significance, our mission is the same: to create experiences that engage, entertain, and enlighten visitors.

So, let’s explore how we set about accomplishing this—how we make places “real”.

Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. Legacy BridgeAtlanta, Ga

When it comes to making places real, it helps to follow a proven process. Working in set project phases allows the client and the community to provide continuing input—from the earliest concepts to the finished product.

PA R T I I

OUR PROCESS

Our process can be summed up in three main phases: first, Information-gathering; second, Theme & Storyline Composition; and finally, Design & Construction Administration. -1-

I N F O R M A T I O N - G A T H E R I N G

- 2 - T H E M E & S T O R Y L I N E

C O M P O S I T I O N

- 3 - D E S I G N & C O N S T R U C T I O N

Our projects are big and small, public and private, indoors and outdoors—but the most important part of in our information-gathering phase is always stakeholder engagement

Therese and Client on a Site VisitArabia Mountain, Ga

We meet with as many people as possible, because a wide range of voices need to be heard!

In addition to our clients, we interview historians, engaged community members, and “keepers of local history”. These are citizens, usually older folks, whose family stories are woven to the fabric of a particular place.

Incorporating Feedback from a Public MeetingHickory, NC

In public meetings, we record comments and aggregate responses to in-person and online questionnaires.

Notes from a Public MeetingAugusta, Ga

And because there’s no such thing as a dumb comment, we take time to listen to everyone’s ideas.

All feedback is good feedback... mostly.Courtesy of Parks and Recreation/NBC

We start with this collaborative style of information-gathering in order to build trust. By listening to many concerns and opinions, we start to identify which topics keep coming up and which are most important to the community. When clients and stakeholders trust us enough to open up, we get to the heart of their stories—the heart of what make these places “real”.

Dahlonega Gold Museum Oral History RecordingsDahlonega, Ga

After our field work, we get down to business with the hard research.

We gather historical resources like photographs, maps, letters, and artifacts.

We dive deepp into trusted sources like libraries ...

Research from booksMayor Ivan Allen, Jr. Legacy Bridge Project

online databases ...

Library of Congress Homepage

... and state and national archives.

Admission Card to the Georgia State Archivespictured with 1923 Sears & Roebuck catalog

While gathering information for the Dahlonega Gold Museum, we made a special trip to the Georgia State Archives.

In their mining and geology archive, we unearthed a trove of maps, diagrams, and photographs.

Research from online databases and print resourcesDahlonega, Ga

We also make use of local museums—and even antique shops! Sometimes we find unexpected treasures….

Photo by Robbie Caponetto ©TimeInc Southern Living MagazineDahlonega, Ga

The discovery of a 1942 issue of LIFE magazine provided the imagery for Dahlonega’s historic courthouse experience. Now, alongside historically-accurate furniture and props, visitors experience life-size photographs of real people from when the building was a functioning courthouse.

Research from print resources for the historic courthouseLIFE Magazine

Once the preliminary information-gathering phase wraps up, the process moves into stage 2: Identifying Themes and Crafting Storylines.

Upon reviewing our research, notes from interviews, comments from the public, and feedback from the client, we see patterns and concepts repeat themselves and overlap.

-1- I N F O R M A T I O N - G A T H E R I N G




At its heart, though, this process is about intuition, empathy, and picking up on nuances: we boil down our information stew to its essential parts, which we call “themes”. I N T U I T I O N

E M PA T H Y

+ N U A N C E

T H E M E S

In one of our interpretive interior programs, our client wanted to mention every single milestone of their organization’s 150-year history.

A very robust website with 150 years of archivesSouthern Education Fund

From their massive online archives, we were able to identify and capture the history into just 10 themes, They were really impressed by the clarity this process achieved.

A few of the themes we identifiedSouthern Education Fund

T H E P O W E R O F L I T E R A C Y

P H I L A N T H R O P Y A N D P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N

A D V O C A T I N G F O R E D U C A T I O N

S H A R I N G W H A T W O R K S

– Freeman Tilden, Natural and Cultural Interpreter

“The interpreter who creates a whole, pares away all the obfuscating minor detail and drives straight toward the perfection of his story will find his

hearers are walking along with him—are companions on this march.

At some point, it becomes their story as much as his.”

While researching a downtown development project, we read about the rise and fall of the furniture industry in Hickory, North Carolina. As we learned more details in meetings with city officials and community members, we began to craft a story about the adaptability and resiliency of the city’ makers.

Seal of Hickory at City HallHickory, NC

Though the furniture and hosiery industries were hit hard, manufacturing plants soon pivoted to corner the fiber optics market. Today, 40% of the world’s fiber optic cables are made in the Hickory area

To demonstrate the transition of textile to �ber optics: both products are organized in spools. Can you juxtapose two representative spindles:

Fiberoptic spool is wrapped with the thick, round cord, which has a shiny/plastic sheen. Show this thicker cord

Textile Spindle is smooth, silky thread has unique shape fo the wooden interior rod,has metal details in base. Feels weathered and old.

Render this for the top detailing

Show the two endconnectors for the�beroptic spool

T H E M E : The Furniture Industry

S T O R Y L I N E : Resiliency and Adaptability

So, finally, after engaging the community, gathering information, and identifying themes and storylines... the design phase begins. -1-

I N F O R M A T I O N - G A T H E R I N G




We break down the design phase much like an architecture firm would: presenting drawings and incorporating feedback at the 30%-, 60%-, and 90%- complete phases before delivering the final 100% package, which we call “design intent” drawings.


100%

60% 90%30%

From the very beginnin, we establish the mission, goals, and big ideas: what should the visitor experience be like?

We ask, “What should this place look, smell, sound, and feel like?”

Early sketchesNachusa Grasslands

0 – 3 0 % D E S I G N

At every phase, we present our drawings, concepts, and ideas to the client and incorporate their feedback.

This ongoing dialogue strengthens the trust between the parties and ultimately yields better and more creative outcomes.

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0 – 3 0 % D E S I G N

Color studiesNachusa Grasslands

During the 0-30% design phase, we brainstorm and gather our best concepts into storyboards that show the client our different design approaches.

APPROX SQ FT UNDER ROOF: 350 SQ FTAPPROX SQ FT OUTSIDE ROOF: 650 SQ FT

SANDSTONE SEATING WALLBUILT IN PLANTERS ON OUTER SIDE OF SEATING WALL

STEEL FRAMED STRUCTURE WITH MESH SCREENS

BISON AND GRASS SILHOUETTES FROMSTEEL STRAP WOVEN INTO MESH SCREENOR SIMILAR

CORTEN STEEL PANELS WITH INTERPRETIVE GRAPHICS AND INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS

WELCOME CENTER KIOSK: -STEEL MESH FRAME WITH CORTEN STEEL PANEL-FRONT FACING SIDE WITH TRAIL MAP AND GENERAL INFO-REAR FACING SIDE WITH INTERACTIVE SITE SPECIFIC LIVE AUDIO /VIDEO FEEDS

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30% concept sketch for outdoor visitor areaNachusa Grasslands

These presentation are two-way streets, with lots of dialogue.

We all walk down the road together!

HENSLOES SPARROW AMERICAN BADGERMEADOW JUMPING MOUSE

BOBOLINK

HALLOWEEN PENNAN DRAGONFLY

BUTTERFLY MILKWEEDCOYOTE

PALE PURPLE CONEFLOWER

AMERICAN BISON

REAR GRASS TEXTURE CONCEPT (AS VIEWED FROM BEHIND)

COMPONENT SPECIES

ADDITIONAL GRASSES

MAY INCLUDE SUCH GRASSES AS: freshwater cord grass (Spartina pectinata)dark green bulrush (Scirpus atrovirens)wool grass (Scirpus cyperinus)blue-joint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis)common tussock sedge (Carex stricta

ORNATE BOX TURTLE

WESTERN FOX SNAKE

REGAL FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY

3 0 % D E S I G N

30% drawings for Cor-ten steel elementsNachusa Grasslands

During the 60% design phase, we run with the winning concepts and start bringing them to life. We draw more detailed elevations, plans, and mockups to work out our ideas.

Then we present internally to our client, to the public at open meetings, and to Council or Board reviews, where we record and process feedback from all sources.

6 0 % D E S I G N

60% drawings begin to work out scale and dimensionsNachusa Grasslands

The 90% Phase results in the delivery of Design Drawings Package. The package contains all information necessary for a fabricator to understand the design and intent for construction.

We follow this phased process every time, so that our clients walk with us through the entire journey to making these places “come to life”.

And while some firms are only equipped to see the process this far, Signature Design has the expertise to take it to 100%!

9 0 % D E S I G N

LIFE UNDERGROUND

The tallgrass prairie is famous for its wildflowers and the height of its grasses. Below ground, their roots are even longer. Some extend ten feet or more underground seeking moisture. Deep native plant roots help filter water, slow flooding, and build up the soil.

Rich topsoil that was 20 to 28 inches deep made the tallgrass prairie desir-able farmland. That soil took millenia to form. The process started when the last glaciers retreated from North America some 10,000 years ago. The glaciers left behind sediment that combined with wind-blown dust to create the base for the future soil. Over thousands of years the deep roots of prairie plants enriched it.

Legendary Prairie Soil

Burning fuels like oil and coal releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Prairie plants help slow this trend. Plants take carbon out of the air, in the form of carbon dioxide, and incorporate it into their roots. Soil seals the carbon under-ground, and keeps it from escaping into the atmosphere. Healthy prairie soil is full of carbon that is stored away from the atmosphere.

Soil and Climate Change

Buds at or below the soil surface survive fire and grazing, and are ready to sprout.

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GROUNDHOG

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ANIMALS

The seasons bring dramatic change. Summer temperatures can reach 105 degrees, with high humidity. In winter, it can be 25 degrees below zero, with 50-mile-an-hour winds and blinding snow. Year to year, areas within the preserve change as they are burned and as they regrow. How do plants and animals cope?

PRAIRIE ADAPTATIONS

REGAL FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY

DICKCISSEL NEST

GROUND SQUIRREL BURROW

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ADAPTATIONS FOR PRAIRIE LIFE

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ABUNDANT LIFEWith the restoration of native plants at Nachusa Grasslands, other species have returned — birds, butterflies, beetles, small mammals, snakes, turtles, and more. Diversity is a hallmark of successful restoration, and some of the best known restorations in the world are at Nachusa Grasslands.

RAIN GAUGEWhy do prairie grasses grow so much taller in Illinois than in the shortgrass prairies of the western Great Plains? Generally, Illinois has more rainfall—a mix of moisture from the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico. In the West, the Rocky Mountains block the west-to-east flow of wet weather and leave the Great Plains dry.

COMPASS PLANT Silphium laciniatum Several species of bees and flies pollinate it, prairie cicada grubs feed on its tap root, gall wasps eat the stems from the inside out.

GORGONE CHECKERSPOTBUTTERFLYSpecimens of this rare butterfly were rescued from prairie fragments and transported to Nachusa Grasslands.

[of dragonflies]. I love saying their names: Blue dasher. Springwater dancer. Twelve-spotted skimmer. Carolina saddlebags.”

“

Cindy Crosby Nachusa Grasslands Volunteer

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FIRE - UNDER CONTROL

Burning portions of the prairie each year rejuvenates the ecosystem, recreating conditions that existed here for thousands of years. Our team has years of experience in safely conducting controlled burns. They are trained to the highest standards, and new volunteers join the team after learning the ropes.

I find extraordinary pleasure walking through a degraded remnant prairie that has experienced fire for the first time in 100-plus years, then later in the season, seeing a flower that I have never seen at that location before.”

“

Mike CarrNachusa Grasslands Volunteer

After the fire, the crew discusses what went well and what did not.

Create effective boundary line fire breaks by mowing and then raking prairie vegetation to the side. In woodlands, mow the lines and then blow the leaves away from the fire breaks.

Fire fighting foams have been used for fire control for over 100 years.

The Nachusa Grasslands Fire Crew is made up of trained volunteers

A heavy duty rake doubles as a hoe for use in matted leaves and moving loose ground rubble.

FIRE PUMP

HELMET

BOOTS

GLOVES

Fire axes are inspected regularlyto make sure that the head is secure, and that the blade is still sharp.

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BISON MAINTAIN PRAIRIE HEALTH

Patchy grazing makes room for a higher diversity of plants, resulting in a healthy prairie. Historically, bison, elk, and deer grazed the tallgrass prairie. Besides grazing, bison have many habits that help sustain the prairie. In 2014 we reintroduced wild bison to Illinois at Nachusa Grasslands.

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The bison at Nachusa Grasslands are wild animals, independent and self-sufficient. Although veterinarians check them once a year, they do not need people to care for them or feed them.

BISON FACTSSIZE Largest land mammal in North America. Males (bulls) weigh up to 2,000 pounds and can stand 6 feet high at the shoulder.

TOP RUNNING SPEED 35 mph

LIFESPAN 15-20 years

DIET Grasses

FUR So thick that snow falling on it does not melt.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR Matriarchal groups—grandmothers, mothers, young bulls and cows, and newborn calves stay together. Mature bulls are loners, except during mating season in July and August.

NURTURING HABITSThe natural behaviors of bison help renew the prairie ecosystem.

HORNS Bison rub their horns on saplings, which prevents too many trees from growing and crowding out grasses and wildflowers.

HEAD When bison wallow in dusty spots, soil and seeds stick to the thick fur on their heads. As they wander and graze, they disperse the seeds to new areas. In winter, bison push deep snow out of the way with their heads to reach vegetation on the ground.

MOUTH Bison eat up to 30 pounds of grass a day. They nibble young grasses all the way down to the nubs. And they skip over most wildflowers, allowing them to regain a foothold. Without grazing, grasses tend to crowd out broad-leaf plants.

HOOVES Bison cut the soil with their hooves. Wildflowers and other specialized plants thrive in this disturbed soil.

BACK Bison like to roll around in the dust to keep off biting flies and loosen tufts of molted fur. This wallowing also carves out depressions that in some places fill with rainwater, attracting amphibians. In other places, wallows create conditions for certain plants and insects.

DUNG Disperses seeds and feeds dung beetles.

In the late 1980s staff and volunteers began harvesting seeds from the prairie remnants at Nachusa Grasslands. Every year since then, we have worked in all kinds of weather to collect, by hand, tons and tons of seeds from hundreds of plant species.

IT STARTED WITH SEEDS &

VOLUNTEERS

At Nachusa Grasslands, staff members and volunteers collect about 5,000 pounds of seeds as they ripen through-out the year (that’s more than twice the weight of a full-grown male bison). Seeds are planted at new restoration plots within Nachusa Grasslands.

The Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is a dynamic community of volunteer stewards working with the Conservancy to preserve, protect, and share this precious endangered ecosystem. The Friends was founded in 2008 by volunteers dedicated to providing for the long-term care and management of Nachusa Grasslands.

Truckloads of Seeds

Nachusa teaches me that there is no thing in nature that is more

the seed there is abundance that is everlasting.”

“

Kirk Hallowell Nachusa Grasslands Volunteer,

GRAY TREEFROG

EASTERN MEADOWLARK

GRASSHOPPER

THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL

BISON

At Nachusa Grasslands, we take pride in nurturing hundreds of native species of plants, animals, insects, and birds. We need these species, living in their native habitat, to ensure the sustain-ability of our planet. The value of each species is beyond our knowledge. This diversity of life allows appropriate responses to varying weather patterns. To paraphrase pioneering ecologist Aldo Leopold, “the first rule of tinkering is to save all the parts.” People are needed as stewards to create, maintain, and learn from biodiversity at Nachusa Grasslands.

Why Is Biodiversity Important?

• Remove fences and clear away invasive shrubs and trees• Evaluate what plants will grow in the available soils• Collect seeds of native grassland species throughout the growing season• Remove drainage tile to bring back moisture before planting seeds in wet areas

• Plant the seed in late fall• In subsequent years, scout for weeds and remove them• Start a controlled burn program• Where feasible, allow bison to graze

STEPS TO RESTORING A PRAIRIE

HENSLOW’S SPARROW

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW

BOBOLINK DICKCISSEL

REDHEADED WOODPECKER

After decades of restoration, Nachusa Grasslands works as an ecosystem much the way it did 200 years ago. This rare habitat depends on the stewardship of people to harvest and plant seeds, maintain cycles of burns and recovery, and control invasive weeds. Nachusa Grasslands today is a model site. Yet there is still much to learn.

A LIVING LABORATORY

Researchers from The Nature Conservancy and universities work at Nachusa Grasslands. Among other things, they investigate the ecology of diverse species, how soil changes with habitat restoration, and water quality. A better understanding of this rare ecosystem helps us learn how to do a better job restoring it and ensuring its survival.

A Hub for Ecological Studies

Bison maintain the health of the prairie—but too many animals grazing can damage it. Our goal is

to optimize the habitat bison help create for all prairie species. Research and monitoring will help us determine the appropriate size of our herd. This is the first time such research on the role of bison in grassland ecology has been done east of the Mississippi River.

Striking a Balance

What research is happening today?

In the spring of 2015, the first wild bison to be born east of the Mississippi River in nearly 200 years was born at Nachusa Grasslands. Our conservation herd plays a role in sustaining the genetic diversity of wild bison—and is just one of many such herds managed by The Nature Conservancy.

Birth of a New Era

Listen to Our Volunteers

NEXT YEAR’S BURN

GROWTH AND REJUVENATION

Over tens of thousands of years, grasslands evolved in a dry climate with frequent fires and many grazing animals. The remaining habitats of oak forest, prairie, and wetlands need to maintain their connection to these evolutionary forces that shaped them. Today staff purposefully conducts controlled burns, and we have reintroduced bison to Nachusa Grasslands.

My simple pleasure is seeing each new species bloom throughout the growing season; it’s like greeting old friends.”

“

Susan KleimanNachusa Grasslands Volunteer

The habitats of the Midwest all depend on frequent, low-intensity fire for their health. FIRE:

• Supports oak forests by letting sunlight reach the forest floor, al lowing new oaks to grow and flowers and grasses to flourish

• Keeps brush from shading out sun-loving plants

• Recycles nutrients to the soil

• Stimulates some plants. They respond to a burned landscape by growing vigorously and producing flowers and then seeds or fruit, food that sustains wildlife.

Fire Starts the Cycle

Over time, managing the restoration with fire alone allows grasses to begin overtaking the wildflowers. Bison prefer to graze on grass that grows after a burn creating space for wildflowers or forbs.

We burn in various places to entice bison to graze in different areas of the preserve. Gradually, a mosaic of plant re-growth is created.

Bison Graze on New Growth

Plants emerging in soil blackened by fire grow with extra vigor, attempting to outcompete each other for the available nutrients and extra sunlight provided.

Diversity of desirable plants increases. When different areas are burned each year, bison move to the newly burned area to eat fresh growth. The last season’s burned area rests, and over a few years, plants and animals repopulate it.

Prairie Plants Grow Back

DIVERSE HABITATS SUPPORT A VARIETY OF SPECIES Different animal specieslive in different areas of the prairie depending on how long ago the area was burned. Fire frequency is one factor, also the structure of vegetation which is influenced by typeof species and composition, soil, and sun levels. The grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), for example, prefers shorter, grazed areas; its cousin, the Henslow’s sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii), hides in tall dense grass.

PRAIRIE BLACKENED BY FIRE For thousands of years Native peoples set fires that maintained grassland habitats. They understood that new plant growth produced more fruit, seeds, and roots—resources they gathered and used in various ways.

Patch Burn Grazing

Bison migrate from last year’s patch, following the fire to new grasses

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This year’s burn brings forth lush, diverse, nutritious growth attracting the bison to graze.

The unburned patch continues to grow with thickening grasses, eventually crowding out plant diversity and varieties of bird and other wildlife. The bison will return after the patch is once again burned and new forbs emerge.

R E S I L I E N T G R A S S L A N D S - E X H I B I T W A L L

C Y C L E S O F C H A N G E - E X H I B I T W A L L

90% elevation drawings for final approval by the clientNachusa Grasslands

1 0 0 % C O N S T R U C T I O N

Coneflower and other prairie elements fabricated in Cor-ten steelNachusa Grasslands

1 0 0 % C O N S T R U C T I O N

Fully-installed interpretive panels and Cor-ten steel elementsNachusa Grasslands

1 0 0 % C O N S T R U C T I O N

Fully-installed interpretive panels and Cor-ten steel elementsNachusa Grasslands

“ W O W , T H A T L O O K S J U S T L I K E Y O U R

D R AW I N G S ! ”

We like to offer construction administration services, so you can be sure that what you signed-off on is what’s being built.

In face what I hear time and time again is...

“Wow, this looks just like your drawing!”

After the excitement of the ribbon cutting, the big question our clients have about their new projects is

“Was the project successful?”

There are many metrics we use to measure success in our projects. Some you may expect, like an uptick in visitor traffic or a boost to tourism spending, while others are trickier to nail down, like the memories a family makes together.

For our purposes, the two tandem strategies we use to measure success are called “statistical metrics” and “formative metrics”.

PA R T I I I

METRICSOF SUCCESS

Statistical methods of evaluation use hard data and mathematical equations to judge the effects of a given project. By creating a formula, we can quantify the objective facts and analyze them.

This method is not subjective: it uses mathematical equations to evaluate the statistics we gather. While this type of analysis doesn’t capture every detail of the visitor experience, we use these hard facts to guide change & decision making.

This is great news for us and our clients! It means that judging successful design is no longer ambiguous - guessing—it can be quantified. So, what kinds of models and metrics are we talking about here?

S T A T I S T I C A L

Objective

Quantity

Data

Numbers

F O R M A T I V EStatistical methods of evaluation use hard data and mathematical equations to judge the effects of a given project. By creating a formula, we can quantify the objective facts and analyze them.



Let me start with a simple example from one of our projects: the Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail in North Georgia.

Gateway EntranceHelen to Hardman Heritage Trail

According to the Georgia Department of Tourism, local communities can expect local spending of about $125 per person per day with the development of a historical, cultural or tourism destination in their area.

At the opening of the Trail, Governor Deal reported that the impact of the trail to the local economy from visitors to the restaurants, shops, and local attractions factored into the statewide tourism count of a “record breaking” $63.1 billion economic impact in 2017 and ws already up by 3.8% in frist quarter 2018.

We get these numbers from webcam feeds, visitor logs, and in-person observations.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal cutting the ribbon Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail

For an ambiguous area like an outdoor trail, we first draw an “area of activation circle” around the trailhead visitor exhibit we want to track.

Then for two weeks, we perform meticulous testing. How many visitors entered the “circle”? Were they mostly family groups, or solo visitors? How many visitors made a “contact” with the program, meaning they stopped to read or interact with it? How long did the visitor spend at the site overall?

After this observational period is finished, we bring our clipboards and spreadsheets together to crunch the numbers and project data over the next year.

If the ratio of projected contacts compared to the total cost of the exhibit is between 60–70%, our return on investment falls within a valuable rang

LONG -R ANGE R.O.I.

QUARTER LY: X

ANNUAL: X

10 -YEAR PER IOD: X

We can also use these statistical tools to measure the effectiveness of specific features within an exhibit.

Did visitors use our branded hashtag?

Were motorists able to follow the roadside signs to the entrance?

How many people posted a picture from our selfie station

Were visitors with accessibility concerns able to read the interpretive content?

The more information we have on visitor habits, the better we can fine-tune the experience to yield better results.

DATE

SHEET NUMBER

MARCH 31, 2017

ISSUE FOR BID

DESIGN INTENTOutlines, sketches, or references of possible theming, exhibits, and graphics on this drawing are for design intent; to show or describe the character, scope, relationships, forms, size and appearance of the Project, major materials and systems, in general, their quality levels, performance standards, requirements, or criteria. Engineered design, means, methods, manufacture, installation, code compliance, operation, safety, and warranties are to be provided by the Contractor; including engineering documentation signed and sealed by a qualified Engineer licensed to practice by the authority having jurisdiction. The Architect/Designer’s review of submittals is for the purpose of checking for conformance with information given and the design concept expressed in the Contract Documents.

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ACWORTH, GA

CITY HALL MONUMENT

THE LAKE CITY

4 4 1 5

THE LAKE CITY

SEE MEDALLION ARTPG.R02.04

PMS 5777C

PMS 4545C

PMS 294C WITHPMS 5777C

PMS 294C

BLACK

A CHM: COLOR RENDERINGSCALE: NTS

B CHM: PHOTO RENDERINGSCALE: NTS

from top left: Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. Legacy Bridge; Dahlonega Gold Museum; City of Acworth, GA; Hardman Farm State Historic Site

While statistical methods don’t capture the nuances of the visitor experience, they do provide valuable data. And since many decisions about funding and grants are based on demonstrating a numerical return on investment, these metrics can be invaluable to an organization working to secure ongoing funding.

Statistical methods of evaluation use hard data and mathematical equations to judge the effects of a given project. By creating a formula, we can quantify the objective facts and analyze them.



S T A T I S T I C A L

Objective

Quantity

Data

Numbers

Subjective

Quality

Anecdotes

Feelings

F O R M A T I V EIn order to understand the deeper meaning and connections made between people and places, we gather information from visitors using “formative metrics”.

This qualitative method of information-gathering is designed to dive deeper into the more personal aspects of the visitor experience.

At the beginning of any project, we set goals and intentions for the finished project:

Are visitors leaving with a greater appreciation for the grasslands ?

Are they joining the “Friends Alliance”?

What are people saying about our visitor center on TripAdvisor?

Friends of Nachusa GrasslandsNachusa Grasslands

Essentially… “Where did we make connections with visitors, and how meaningful was it to them?”

Once we ask these questions and define these goals, we can track whether we’re achieving them.

For this method to be successful, we need to ask the right questions to the right audience.

Enjoying the peace of the hiking trailsArabia Mountain

As they say in statistics...

“Quantity is good— but quality is

even better.”

Crafting these questions is critical. We work backwards from the goals set at the beginning of the project. The goals create our baseline for visitor responses and defines the criteria we’ll be evaluating.

Signature Design 887 W Marietta St NW • Suite M-205 Atlanta, GA 30318

May 12, 2017

Friends of Bobby Brown Park

Bobby Brown State Outdoor Recreation Center

2509 Bobby Brown State Park Road

Elberton, GA 30635

BOBBY BROWN

Preliminary Interpretive Questions

1. What is the most interesting story or piece of history about the area? What is the key take-home message?

2. What are the main challenges of the area? Are there behaviors you would like to encourage or discourage in

your visitors? (Location is hard to find, not enough amenities, campers are too loud; want to encourage

understanding of the history of the area, want to encourage young families to visit, want to encourage

fishermen to renew their licenses…)

3. What would you like to see built in the recreation area? (Interpretive signs, a venue for weekend festivals,

guided or self-guided tours, historical reenactments, designated stargazing nights, geocaching, Petersburg flat-

bottomed boat races… get creative!) Please check the box for any that interest you in addition to writing your

own ideas.

❏ A marina or fuel station for boats

❏ Infrastructure (cell tower, visitor showers,

country store/snack bar, more roads…)

❏ Horse trails

❏ Mountain bike trails

❏ Nature/hiking trails (guided or self-guided)

❏ Interpretive signs about history, flora/fauna

❏ Canopy walk/ropes course/zipline

❏ Giant lake inflatables/water sports area

❏ Frisbee golf

❏ Concerts or festivals

❏ Large competitive events (annual 10K races,

fishing competitions, mud obstacle course…)

❏ Facilities for large family/corporate retreats

❏ Historical recreations (of old Petersburg flat-

bottomed boats, of homesteading life…)

Formative information is collected mostly from visitor responses to surveys. These can be through webforms, social media polls, or in-person questionnaires. It’s important, though, to use the appropriate tone and medium for the audience you’re addressing.

Many people appreciate being handed a questionnaire about their visit, but some may find that approach too invasive

So we ask ourselves: “What creative ways can we engage visitors that will encourage them to participate?”

For younger tech-savvy visitors, using a series of “slider polls on your Insta story” may be the right move. My Millennial copywriter assured me that this is indeed “a thing”.

We got some excellent formative data with our Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail.

From listening and observing, we learned that seniors like exercising on the gentle grade of the shaded path—our trail is much more accessible to them than the surrounding North Georgia Mountain’s hilly roadways & trails.

Interpretive plaques and interactive train whistleHelen to Hardman Heritage Trail

We also learned that many young families were using the smooth pavement to teach their kids how to ride a bike.

There are plans to build platforms along the Chattahoochee River’s edge of the trail for parents to teach their children to fish!

Wide paths accomodate family groups and those with disabilitiesHelen to Hardman Heritage Trail

Once we collect a large enough sample of data, patterns emerge and we begin to pull out themes. How many people responded the same way? Was there more than one person who thought the video was too loud? How many people plan to come back with their grandkids next time? Did people get emotional at the same point in the exhibit?

We then collate the data and think about the “story” the data is telling.

We turn the patterns from the data into charts, graphs, maps, etc.

These visual representations of data make it easier for clients & colleagues to grasp the implications of the visitor comments and plan for solution to improve the visitor experience.

Southwest

What we heard: • Commission artists to create art through everyday objects (signage,

gateway pieces, local attractions) that reflect the flavor of the local community.

• Engage the youth both in schools and older students in Atlanta University Center (all educational institutions).

• Create interactive and narrative-based art that reflects oral and written histories, and history of community changes over time (demographic/racial diversity).

• Consider local community spaces leading to the BeltLine and use facades of abandoned buildings/industrial properties as potential places to showcase art.

Reviewing formative feedback from the communityAtlanta BeltLine

This is where training in graphic design and visual communication really comes into play!

It’s a challenge for us all to create good visual explanations.

If you’re interested in designing visuals for greater impact, I can certainly recommend some resources.

Graphic Design for Non-Designersby Tony Sedon & Jane Waterhouse

Visual Explanationsby Edward R. Tufte

We also evaluate Intangible Values.

What are some examples of intangible values:

Please play the video file “Real Places, Signature Design.mp4” which is attached to this presentation.

On the video you will find:

1.Case Study: Nachusa Grasslands

Intangible: Beauty, Stewardship, and Provocation to protect endangered places

2. Case Study: Southern Education Foundation

Intangible: Inspiring the Next Generation

3. Case Study: Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area

Intangible: Spiritual Connection to Nature

4. Case Study: Dahlonega Gold Museum

Intangible: The WOW!

5. Case Study: Helen to Hardman Farm

Intangible: The FUN!

PA R T I V

INTANGIBLE VALUE

Whether at the end of a long hike or the end of long day out with the family, what people really remember is the FUN!

We do our best to design memorable experiences for visitors to enjoy, but what really matters are the people they share those experiences with.

They’ll always remember the fun they had with their family.

The thrill of reaching the summit, amplified by the presence of friendsArabia Mountain National Heritage Area

MAKINGP L A C E S

Texas Historical Commisson • January 15, 2019

R E A L

If our goal is to make these places come to life, to make them “real”, then they must outlive Signature Design’s involvement with them.

But because our clients and communities have walked alongside us throughout the process, they understand how far the project has come… and how it could continue to grow.

...I think these projects are a little bit like a garden: our

initial planting is lovely… but the real joy is in watching

the life inside mature over time...

www.thesignaturedesign.com

To start a conversation about how Signature Designcan elevate your next project, visit:

“Together, we can create experiences that educate, entertain, and inspire wonder.”-Therese Huffman, Signature Design