Elevating Nashville’s airport signage

by carly_mchugh | 10 April 2024 5:10 pm

By Carly McHugh

Over the past few years, Nashville, Tenn., has quickly become a go-to vacation destination for people of all ages and lifestyles. As soon as they step off the plane, travellers are treated to a uniquely welcoming experience, complete with live music and unmatched southern hospitality.

In fact, the city’s rise in popularity has inspired the award-winning Nashville International Airport to undergo a variety of renovations to further enhance the passenger experience. One of its more recent additions is the free-standing, eight-gate Satellite Concourse. Designed to cater to those travelling with Allegiant Air and Spirit Airlines, it features several retail and concession options which are known favourites throughout the city.

To help draw passengers towards these establishments, North American travel retail and hospitality company Paradies Lagardere sought the help of a sign company with expertise in a variety of captivating styles. After a swift proposal process, augmented by a referral from a longtime client, Century Signs of Vancouver was contracted as an exclusive partner on the project. The shop’s existing portfolio also proved to be beneficial, as it closely matched the client’s desired finished product.

Preparing for takeoff

The goal of the project was to create branding elements which showcased the shopping and dining locations, as well as complemented the cutting-edge style of the new terminal. The comprehensive sign package encompassed seven storefronts, including Distillery District Market, Nashville Supply Co., Gulch Goods, Jimmy John’s, TX/MX, Fat Bottom Brewing, and Bongo Java Roasting.

Spanning almost seven months, the project was divided into three distinct phases. The first phase, which comprised pre-production, extended over the course of four months. During this period, Century Signs underwent project briefings, finalized pricing, and produced samples to ensure consistent branding across the various types of signage.

The second phase involved the survey and production portion of the project. While the concourse hall was still under construction, the installation team conducted a site survey to finalize the scope and measurements of all of the available spaces. Once these factors were confirmed, Century Signs fabricated, printed, painted, and assembled more than 90 signs and graphics. The items were then safely packed in a custom-built crate and shipped to the airport.

The final phase was the installation of all of the signage. Due to the ongoing construction on the terminal, the team needed to complete this phase in three trips. During the first trip, they installed the signage for Distillery District Market, Bongo Java, Gulch Goods, Nashville Supply Co., and TX/MX. The second trip involved the installation of the Jimmy John’s signage, as well as final measurements for Fat Bottom Brewing, which was previously under construction. Finally, on the last trip, the team finished off the project by installing the largest signage package at Fat Bottom Brewing.

Lighting up the runway

The entire project involved many different types of signage, including custom-fabricated LED storefront signs, blade and lightbox signs, faux neon signs, dimensional letters, wall and window graphics, framed pictures, and other fixture signs. In total, the team produced more than 50 distinct types of signs across all seven stores.

The client’s in-house team developed the designs for the package, which were then shared with Century Signs for production. The fabrication process encompassed various categories of signs, each with their own unique materials and production methods.

Storefront signs

The storefront signs had considerable diversity in size and composition, based on the desired imagery of each brand. Ranging between 3 and 6 m (10 and 20 ft) wide, they all featured some form of illumination.

Face-lit and back-lit channel letters were constructed for Jimmy Johns, Distillery District Market, Bongo Java, and Nashville Supply Co. Made from 76.2-mm (3-in.) coils and acrylic faces, their returns were painted to match each brand’s colour scheme.

The signage for TX/MX comprised open-face, marquee-style channel letters, which were 127-mm (5-in.) deep. They were filled with LED bulbs and installed without any visible wiring.

For Fat Bottom Brewing, the team created a sign with 101.6- and 127-mm (4- and 5-in.) thick, open-face channel letters. Inside, they installed orange and white faux neon wire to match the brand’s colouring.

Finally, the edge-lit acrylic sign for Gulch Goods included letters cut from 25.4-mm (1-in.) thick acrylic, with an opaque, brushed brass face and white, semi-translucent sides, pushed through an internally lit lightbox.

Blade signs

All blade signs measured 609.6 x 457.2 mm (24 x 18 in.) and were constructed from 101.6-mm deep, internally illuminated, double-sided lightboxes. The aluminum perimeters were powder coated in black, and the signs featured 12.7-mm (0.5-in.), push-through, translucent acrylic lettering, with vinyl graphic details applied to their faces.

Lightbox signs

Certain establishments also required hanging signs to indicate areas for ordering or pickup. These signs measured 914.4 x 177.8 mm (36 x 7 in.) and were made from 76.2-mm deep, internally illuminated lightboxes, with black die-cut matte vinyl letters applied to their faces. Their opaque returns were painted satin black, and the signs were installed from the ceiling.

Faux neon signs

Both Distillery District Market and TX/MX had interior faux neon signs, which utilized single-stroke tubes to form shapes or logos, with vinyl behind them for a bold appearance. Fat Bottom Brewing’s storefront sign was also constructed using this method.

Dimensional letters

To complement their illuminated storefront signs, some locations also featured interior dimensional lettering. These letters, typically conveying slogans or phrases, were crafted from acrylic of various thicknesses, and painted to match each brand’s colours. Most 3D letters were flush-mounted to the walls, with the exception of Distillery District Market, which was pin-mounted with 12.7-mm standoffs.

Custom-printed graphics

Each store featured massive wall murals printed on laminated, self-adhesive vinyl. A few of them also had custom wall decals. For example, a large skeleton was painted on the wall at TX/MX using a contour-cut stencil. In total, Century Signs printed more than 325.1 m² (3,500 sf) of wall graphics, including decals for windows, glass railings, coolers, utility dispensers, and point-of-sale (POS) equipment.

Navigating turbulence

While the preliminary and production stages proceeded smoothly, challenges arose during the installation phase. Delays from other trades during construction resulted in Century Signs having to adjust their installation dates. However, the team anticipated these possibilities, and had strategic contingency plans in place. Their close communication with the airport’s general contractor and other partners on the project allowed them to stay up to date with the terminal’s progress. Taking multiple trips also allowed the team to maintain flexibility in completing the signs based on the real-time conditions of the site. Any areas which were not yet ready for installation were addressed in subsequent visits, allowing Century Signs to seamlessly adapt to the evolving circumstances.

A smooth landing

With decades of combined experience, the shop’s in-house team efficiently managed the entire installation process. During the initial two-week trip to Nashville, four crew members utilized their skills in applying vinyl, pin-mounting 3D letters, and installing illuminated storefront signs.

While the majority of the signage was at ground level, some of the wall murals were taller than 3 m, which required the use of a scissor lift. The second and third trips, each dedicated to a single store, were executed by a team of two installers in a couple of days.

Throughout the project, the team collaborated closely with the local general contractor and various tradespeople, including electricians. This approach ensured a seamless installation process, with particular attention to the proper power requirements for the illuminated signs.

The project kicked off in May 2023 and concluded that December.  

Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/elevating-nashvilles-airport-signage/

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