Creating a SITES Sustainability Signage System for Austin Parks

Spring 2026

See the final presentation and deliverable here >

Last Fall (’25), wkrm studio at The University of Texas Department of Design collaborated ONCE AGAIN with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department to conceptualize a public-facing signage and communication platform that articulates, demonstrates, prompts, and supports sustainability practices in Austin’s public parks.

THIS SPRING, a new cohort advanced their work creating demonstrable prototypes, clear guidelines, and specifications.

Fourteen students divided into four teams, each supporting a workstream: Content Strategy and Development, Form Factors, Icon Testing and Design, and Digital Touchpoints. Each team applied both generative and evaluative research, along with extensive sketching, prototyping, testing, and documentation, to produce a comprehensive and understandable system that Parks and Recreation can reference for future implementation. They also created a SITES Signage Library that outlines content types, writing rules, and stories for each sign category, supporting future signage needs and new story development. A digital app, accessible via QR codes on signs, enables parkgoers to learn more about sustainability elements, meet Parks and Recreation Sustainability experts, and apply best practices at home.