Formation

Buffalo Heights

Overview

Houston, Texas
688,532 ft² new construction

BRIEF

Develop wayfinding and environmental graphics for a multipurpose district located in proximity to Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Park.

SERVICES

Design and documentation, parking structure graphics, pedestrian wayfinding, concept and thematic architectural development.

SITE ANALYSIS

  • Situated at a major intersection along the bustling Washington Avenue corridor
  • Sight lines from passing cars should be considered when designing and placing exterior signage
  • Clear parking garage programming and wayfinding are crucial to the success of the mixed-use program

Updates
01/07/20
Buffalo Heights
Completed Work
A green directional sign with the word “Park” and an arrow pointing to the right, mounted on a modern building exterior.
A red and white striped barrier with the word “PARK” in neon displayed above, hanging over a parking garage entrance with a downward ramp visible below.
A red rectangular sign hanging from black straps on a pipe, displaying a white “X” symbol, indicating restriction or no entry.
A green rectangular sign hanging from the ceiling with a white upward arrow symbol, indicating direction.
A green and white striped parking gate arm with a portion of a white car visible beneath it, set against a building facade.
A black and green angled signage mounted on the ground, featuring sharp edges and a smooth, reflective surface.
A small wall-mounted digital screen with an arrow pointing upward, accompanied by an elevator call button below it, and a sign reading “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, DO NOT USE ELEVATOR. PROCEED TO EXIT.” The setup is positioned next to a concrete wall.
A close-up of an elevator panel displaying the floor number “5” and silkscreened graphic with fire emergency instructions. The sign advises, “IN FIRE EMERGENCY, DO NOT USE ELEVATOR, USE EXIT STAIRS,” with accompanying symbols and a map indicating the exit path.
A close-up of a building’s door displaying the number “1000” in simple white typography.
A directional sign on a blue wall listing room numbers and locations, including “Elevators,” “Courtyard,” “Fitness Room,” and “Pool,” with arrows pointing in the respective directions.
BH final images11
1/11

Exterior, Parking Structure, Interior Signals
12/06/19
Buffalo Heights
Installation Part 3
A safety sign silkscreened on glass, displaying a fire emergency warning with instructions: “In fire emergency, do not use elevator. Use exit stairs,” accompanied by an evacuation map and safety icons.
1/2

Glass Silkscreen installation process
11/15/19
Buffalo Heights
Installation Part 2
Site images BH resized41
A red overhead sign displaying the word “PARK” in large white neon letters, mounted above an entrance to a parking area.
A red directional sign with a white “X” symbol, mounted from the ceiling, indicating restricted or closed access in a building.
A red-brown door with the label “Fire Pump Room” in small white text near the top center.
A side view of a sign with red and green edges, suspended from the ceiling above a dark space.
A close-up of a sign reading “Buffalo Heights Parking,” with white text and green lettering on a dark background.
A close-up of a parking sign with a green protective strip, positioned near the rear bumper of a white truck to prevent impact with the sign. The surrounding area features shrubs and gravel.
1/7

Various signs during installation
11/05/19
Buffalo Heights
Installation Part 1

Wall silkscreen process
09/10/19
Buffalo Heights
Fabrication Part 2
Site images BH resized35
Site images BH resized39
Site images BH resized33
Site images BH resized38
Site images BH resized36
Site images BH resized37
Site images BH resized32
Site images BH resized34
Site images BH resized31
1/9

Progress review at GraphTec (Houston)
08/17/19
Buffalo Heights
Field Test Part 2
Reviewing final wayfinding placement on-site with full-scale parking signage mockup.
Reviewing final wayfinding placement on-site with full-scale parking signage mockup.
1/2

Testing legibility, contrast, and color in situ
08/12/19
Buffalo Heights
Field Test Part 1
A ceiling-mounted sample strap showing fabric swatches in green, red, and white, with product information labels attached.
A taped-up paper mockup used for onsite visual testing of signage. The red square with a white “X” symbol indicates a visual trial of placement, scale, and legibility in the actual environment.
Full-scale onsite mockup test for signage placement and visibility. The green upward arrow symbol is printed and clipped in position to verify legibility, scale, and alignment before final installation.
1/3

Overhead signage scale and suspension method tests in situ
08/01/19
Buffalo Heights
Fabrication
Site images BH resized29
Close-up of an industrial heat press machine used in signage or materials fabrication. Equipped with multiple warning labels, hydraulic pressure controls, and heated platens for molding or laminating operations.
Unfinished signage panels in a fabrication shop, showing raw forms before application of text or graphics. Surfaces are prepped and ready for final finishing or vinyl lettering.
Close-up of a tactile ADA-compliant sign featuring raised lettering and Braille. The surface is matte and monochromatic, emphasizing legibility and accessibility.
Large white cylindrical pipe suspended horizontally by a metal hook attached to an eyebolt. The pipe rests on two red 6-ton jack stands atop a workbench. A person’s hand adjusts a measuring tool spanning across the pipe. Workshop tools and shelving are visible in the background.
Person in a red shirt holding a green silkscreen frame in front of a large backlit washout booth. The surrounding room contains wrapped materials and equipment, with an adjacent door revealing an orange-lit space behind it.
Site images BH resized15
Laser-cut or CNC-cut sheet of MDF board with a grid of rectangular and square openings in various sizes.
Brown MDF board with two large stylized letters, “G” and “D,” spray-painted in white using stencils. The board leans against a wall in a workshop surrounded by scraps of cardboard, paper, and cut material.
Close-up of hands fastening a heavy-duty black metal buckle with gold release tabs, attached to a thick black strap. The background shows a smooth white cylindrical surface.
A worn industrial rolling cart with rusted metal wheels and frame, holding a large metal plate and a sheet of copper-colored material on top.
1/11
03/09/18
Buffalo Heights
Site Visit
View of the Houston skyline seen through a parking structure, with rooftops of nearby residential buildings and palm trees in the foreground.
Person using a laptop placed on an orange industrial toolbox, with tools and documents scattered nearby.
Bent chain-link construction fence with green privacy screen, partially leaning on backlit, dense shrubbery growing from behind.
View of a concrete structure under construction, supported by a dense grid of vertical and diagonal scaffolding pipes in blue, red, and yellow.
1/4

Exploring structures under construction and the surrounding area

Related Projects
LOV1801 POST

A reimagining of the architecturally and historically significant Barbara Jordan Post Office in downtown Houston. In cooperation with OMA, MTWTF, Powers Brown, Hoerr Schaudt, Dot Dash.
ELC1901 EL CENTRO

Identity rebrand for a system of Federally Qualified Health Centers providing services to immigrant communities in Houston’s East End.