Poulin + Morris has designed environmental graphics and wayfinding for The District Burlington, a 13 building, 54-acre office complex in Burlington, Massachusetts, outside of Boston and part of the Route 128 high tech corridor.
The challenge for the design team was to create a comprehensive approach to presenting information throughout the complex that also reflects The District Burlington's distinction as a vibrant enclave suited to innovative, 21st century businesses. The overall exterior program is characterized by dimensionality; nothing is flat or conventional.
"Our goal for The District Burlington was to create a program that clearly declares, 'This is a modern workplace,'" explained Poulin + Morris principal Richard Poulin. As you approach the complex gateway, the name The District Burlington appears in three-foot-high letterforms that appear integrated with flanking stone walls. Each individual letterform is comprised of multiple aluminum fins with interior LED illumination that produces a distinct orange glow at night.
As you navigate throughout the development, building identification signs, building address identification signs, commercial and retail tenant directories, and street signs are all made distinctive by a fold in the metal, often cutting through numbers or symbols. These folds are a three-dimensional interpretation of the distinctive diagonal slash evident in The District Burlington's logotype. That motif, along with edging in orange that recalls the project's main identification sign, is found throughout the entire sign program. Overall, the complete program contributes to The District Burlington's goal of creating a vibrant, forward-looking workspace that appeals to the most modern companies.
