To celebrate SeaWorld’s 50th anniversary, SeaWorld re-imagined their San Diego Park’s main entrance with the creation of Explorer’s Reef. Guests enter the park under a wave with touch pools to create the feeling of being in a giant reef. To create this experience, the signage design stretched beyond standard sign requirements. Signtech partnered with the SeaWorld’s design team to bring the entrance to life.
To resemble the rolling curves in nature, SeaWorld’s signage had unique requirements. The design and construction restrictions included no 90 degree angles, no visible fasteners, no flat faces and needed to be tamper-free for public safety especially for young children. Every sign was on a radius to resemble the rolling curves in nature. Paint colors and techniques were unlike anything Signtech had done before. We successfully manufactured, installed and serviced over 300 signs in the Explorer’s Reef program over approximately a year and a half.
Sea World San Diego - Explorer's Reef
Design & Planning
Signtech took a holistic approach to complete these nature inspired signs. The project management team created custom tools to track milestones and other aspects of this unique process. Team work and collaboration was the foundation and common theme of this project. Usually signage is the finish touch on a project and involved towards the end of a project. Due to the custom nature of the playful design, the building construction affected the design of the signage supports and installation. Signtech’s project management team attended the onsite weekly construction meetings to review the trade schedules to ensure signage attachments were installed at the proper stages of construction. Signtech’s design and engineering team had to be proactive and reactive to the constant changes to the building and construction of this remodel project.
Prototyping
The main focus of SeaWorld’s architects was to immerse the visitor in the magical world of the Explorer Reef. They wanted the visitor to feel as though they were submerged in the wondrous world of the ocean. Colors and the overall look of the signage were determined by the architect’s Theme Guide but the materials choices were left up to Signtech to decide. It was up to us to Signtech to strategize a way to bring the signage to life. Prototyping was the backbone of this process. Design concept approvals were conducted once we decided on materials that would achieve the same look and feel of the architect’s drawings. To demonstrate the materials, colors and finishes, a sample was created to give the architects an idea of what the sign would look like. A sample was made for every combination of new sign type in the program to confirm the materials and finishes conveyed the level of detail the architects were looking for. The project management team tracked the progress and approval of every sample made. Digital prints went through the same process including a copy review and approval of educational information signs. Signtech explored the use of materials and finishes they have used for years and incorporated new alternative materials to achieve the imaginative look.
SolidWorks Engineering
The whimsical design required a unique engineering process that involved working from the inside out. Jorge Gonzalez, the engineer on the project, began the engineering process by looking at the architectural plans of the building to determine the structural strong points for attachment placement. Typically, signs are engineered with the attachments placed on the sign based on the structure of the sign then fixed to the building. Due to the unusual weight and shape of the custom signage, the building connections required strategic placement to maximize support. A 3D model was created to visualize the placement of the supports and signage on the structure. Over the years, Signtech has depended on the use of 3D modeling to create custom signage. An essential part of the pre-engineering process is 3D modeling to analyze the design from different angles and strategize installation methods.
View SolidWorks 3D Model
Installation
With so many construction trades onsite trying to complete their portion of the remodel work, it was a collaborative effort to install the signage at the right time. The weekly construction meetings were vital to understand the best time to get the crane trucks onsite to attach the completed signage to the building. The project management team worked with the structural engineer, electrician, concrete and other subcontractors to make sure utilities and other requirements were completed prior to installation. Due to the size of some of the signage, the installation was performed in phases because they signs were made in pieces and assembled onsite. Once installation was complete the architects would walk through the park to ensure the signs achieved the playful look. Any changes that the architects wanted to make were made in the field.
Completion
Through team work and collaboration, the Explorer Reef program was completed on-time and within budget. Signtech has been SeaWorld’s valued sign partner for the past 25 years. SeaWorld always trusts Signtech’s innovative capabilities and commitment to quality. As a company standard, Signtech is always looking for cutting-edge technology and materials that advance the signage industry. Signtech stepped up to the challenges of the Explorer Reef program’s custom signage and brought the underwater world to life.
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