Wayfinding and Airport Terminal Design

Abstract

Human wayfinding in the natural environment has been practised for thousands of years. In the urban or built environment, few natural cues are available and other aids to wayfinding are needed. This paper considers the problems of wayfinding in airport terminals, what cues are available and how passengers use them to reach their destinations. The use of signs and maps is discussed, and conclusions are drawn on how wayfinding in airport terminals could be improved.The principles of wayfinding are simple; the practicalities are very complex.Nainoa Thompson.