Designing unity across heritage and modernity
The University of Antwerp spans four very different campuses across the city—ranging from Renaissance courtyards in the city centre to contemporary buildings set in the green belt. Together, they serve more than 20,000 students, making UAntwerp the third-largest university in Flanders.
This diversity gives the university physical richness. But from a user experience perspective, it posed a challenge. Each campus felt like a standalone environment. Buildings were inconsistent in signage, layout logic, and spatial language. Students, staff, and visitors struggled to orient themselves, especially first-timers moving between locations.
The University wanted a wayfinding system that worked across the board, both practically and symbolically. It needed to bring unity without flattening character—and reflect the university’s identity as a forward-thinking, high-performing institution where functionality and aesthetics go hand in hand.
Project
University of Antwerp
Client
University of Antwerp, Belgium
Collaborators
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
Size
Project Build Cost
Focus
Wayfinding
The problem
The old wayfinding system was heavily reliant on map-based thinking. It made sense on paper, but didn’t support the lived experience of moving through space. Buildings were difficult to identify from the ground, room numbering lacked coherence, and orientation tools didn’t support real-world navigation.
This was clearly a UX issue. For students, the stress of being late to class because they couldn’t find the building. For visitors, the awkwardness of wandering through historic corridors unsure of which turn to take. And for the university, a missed opportunity to create a positive first impression.
They weren’t alone. Nearby Leuven, Ghent, and Brussels all competed for students. Standing out meant creating a better user journey through the campus itself.
What we did
We began by reframing wayfinding as part of the broader campus experience: confidence, clarity, and reducing friction across the user journey.
We replaced the map-dependent system with a location-first approach: a simplified, intuitive building numbering system that mirrors how people think and move in real life. The new logic supports decision-making on the go, not just from a bird’s-eye view.
The visual design was tailored to deliver information quickly, clearly, and consistently. Bright colours improve visibility. Carefully selected materials allow the same signage family to sit comfortably within 16th-century architecture and brand-new facilities alike. Everything was chosen for long-term maintainability and easy recycling when changes are needed—because UX isn’t static, and environments shouldn’t be either.
Behind the scenes, we designed with operational simplicity in mind. The university now has a single, flexible system that can be updated campus-wide, rather than relying on bespoke fixes for every site. That means fewer headaches for facilities teams, and a smoother experience for every user group.
The outcome
Our work wrapped in 2019. Due to pandemic-related delays, rollout was postponed—but implementation is now underway.
Once fully installed, the new wayfinding system will create a seamless navigation experience across all campuses. It sets a new standard in how the University of Antwerp communicates with its users in space: confident, clear, and welcoming. From first-time visitors to long-time staff, the new system helps people move with ease and focus on what they came to do.
For a university built on centuries of history and looking firmly toward the future, this wayfinding strategy delivers both heritage sensitivity and contemporary UX thinking—making sure the environment reflects the ambition of the institution it supports.
