The Hill Interpretive Signage

The Hill Interpretive Signage Atlanta, Georgia

Services Provided

Graphic Design
Interpretive Signage

People Involved

Whitney Baxter
Donald Zellefrow

Interpretive signage provides a fun and educational way to learn about Atlanta's native bird populations. 

The Hill, located in Atlanta’s Upper Westside, is a 2.5-acre greenspace positioned next to the Atlanta City Water Works Hemphill Reservoir. The park is home to many of Atlanta’s native bird species.

The Upper Westside Community Improvement District (UWCID) was formed by local property owners who sought to elevate the experiences of those in the district. The UWCID focuses on improving transportation, safety, connectivity, and experience through investment and partnerships.

The UWCID asked MKSK to design a series of child-focused interactive signs for The Hill. These signs were meant to highlight various bird species in the area, with the intent to encourage visitors to learn about their avian neighbors and take a closer look at their surroundings.

 
 

MKSK worked closely with the client to identify 12 common bird species frequently spotted in the area, and gather fun facts about each one, such as each bird’s habitat, call, hunting method, migration pattern, and more. From there, the team drew up simple yet distinct silhouettes of each bird to be used on the signs and throughout the park.

Taking inspiration from children’s playground activity panels, MKSK decided to use rotating elements to create a series of “question” and “reveal” prompts. The final signs consist of twelve rotating boxes, for twelve bird species. Each box has a “Who am I?” side, on which a bird’s silhouette is displayed next to a paragraph describing the mystery bird’s behaviors and appearance. The opposite side of the box reveals the identity of the bird and prompts readers to search for that species in the trees.

 
 

As an extension to the interpretive signs, MKSK hired a local fabricator to create metal cut-outs of the bird silhouettes. These were installed in the surrounding trees, creating a scavenger hunt for park-goers.