21/02-13 - Press releases

The right way to the court

Streamlined and timeless signs help people make their way through four newly built courts in four Danish cities. The sign solutions - interior as well as exterior - are delivered by leading signage provider Modulex.

Dignity and authority radiate from the four new courts in the Danish cities Kolding, Holstebro, Herning and Holbæk. Authority is obvious in buildings housing court rooms where fates are decided. But the large modern buildings accommodating the judicial power also radiate style. The architectural minimalism supports the court's reputation as an obliging and open institution.

"An easily understood and clear sign solution is essential in a court building guiding you to your destination in a calm and comfortable way. The signage is identical in all four buildings which was what the contractors looked for", Susanna Ølgod, Key Account Manager at Modulex explains.
"Consistency makes it easier to maintain the signs. The contractor also wanted to transfer the purity and the simplicity expressed by the buildings to the signs. The signage is very simple in order not to disturb."

Timeless
The light grey, timeless signs with a dark red line match the other colors in the buildings very well. The streamlined style is a deliberate choice. It should not be flamboyant. The signs are there for people to orientate. You are not being disturbed and you are able to keep focus.

"The signs are expected to last for decades and the design must therefore be timeless. The solution is therefore simple, nice and easy to update because the text is foil text. They can be removed and replaced as needed", Susanna Ølgod says. Susanna visited several other court buildings to get inspiration before the sample signs for these projects were produced.

An inner and an outer zone
Several groups of people move about in a court building. This makes demands on the fitting out, and especially on the signage. The buildings are therefore divided up in zones. An outer zone for the users and an inner zone for the employees including an area for the judges, an arrestee zone and a semi-public zone where the lay assessors do not have to mingle with the audience and at the same time do not disturb the staff.

All these considerations have resulted in buildings with many corridors and doors making sure that judges and arrestees can move about without bumping into each other.

"We have spent a lot of time creating the optimal wayfinding solution to make it easy for all user groups to navigate in the building. The signs are of course particularly important as visual guides in the zones where citizens get into the building from outside", Susanna Ølgod clarifies.

The largest challenge was the complexity, but the task has been solved to the complete satisfaction of the client as well as the users.

About Modulex
Modulex make complex signage and environmental graphics projects simple. You'll find our work around the world: on the high street, in airports, company headquarters, hospitals, stores, showrooms, schools and universities.
Founded in 1963 by the Lego group, Modulex has been breaking new ground in signage and wayfinding for many years.