Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Williamsburg, Virginia

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation operates the world's largest living history museum — the restored 18th‐century capital of Britain's largest, wealthiest, and most populous outpost of empire in the New World. In Colonial Williamsburg's 301‐acre Historic Area stand hundreds of restored, reconstructed, and historically furnished buildings. For more information, visit www.history.org.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation began extensive, multi‐year construction renovation projects in 2000 to enhance the original 1957 Visitor Center complex and two of their five hotels. The projects comprised the largest undertaking of its kind in Colonial Williamsburg's history and is among the largest capital investments ever made in the Virginia Tidewater region.

1717 was commissioned to design comprehensive vehicular and pedestrian wayfinding signage systems for the reconfigured campus to move visitors from the highway, to the parking lots, to the Visitor Center, as efficiently as possible. Orientation and information kiosks were strategically located to assist first‐time visitors. Several hundred custom regulatory and traffic signs were carefully integrated into the landscaped grounds. Project colors, materials, and graphics create a cohesive brand for the entire campus. Complementary exterior and interior signage systems for the Visitor Center, Woodlands Hotel, Woodlands Conference Center, Group Arrivals Building, and HUZZAH! — Colonial Williamsburg's new family restaurant — help to create a visitor‐friendly experience. As the project evolved, 1717 was commissioned to assist with the planning and design of a freestanding retail kiosk to be located on the promenade between the visitor center and parking lots. Carlton Abbot designed the structure and 1717 developed the interior retail fixture program and colorful exterior graphics. The objective for the kiosk was to create a convenient place for visitors to purchase cold drinks, souvenirs, and an assortment of last‐minute sundries that they often need before or after an all‐day tour of the historic area.

Also see the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center, Williamsburg Inn logo, and museum posters designed by 1717.