Role: Prime Consultant
Size: 15 acres
Completed: 2009

Atherton is a charming retirement community with tree-lined streets nestled in an urban neighborhood. The 15-acre property is dotted with a wide assortment of housing types such as apartments, duplexes, cottages, and stand-alone homes, as well as amenities such as laundry facilities, a library, retail stores and offices.

As part of larger improvements under the Master Plan, SKA was hired to develop signage elements that would impart a sense of place and visually connect the disparate collection of buildings. Given strict zoning requirements, SKA carefully designed and located key directional signs. Small monument signs were placed along residential streets, while simple post and panel signs throughout the campus provide directional information. The design solution incorporates decorative ironwork to align with the community’s historical heritage, and legibility is maximized in response to the needs of an aging populace.