Coachella is a fairly popular, annual music/arts festival located in Indio, California. I was interested in seeing what kind of maps they provided to their guests (so that they could easily facilitate their way around the festival grounds), how the design of their map matches their brand, and if it’s as “ethereal” of an experience as it sounds. Let’s take a closer look…
The principle von Restorff Effect is used here to distinguish the large-scale art installations from the stages and food venues. You’ll notice that these icons aren’t labeled or outlined, but they are so different from anything else on the map that it would draw a user’s attention and increase their recognition… these large forms are typically used as visual cues for meeting up with friends at specific places on the grounds.
The principle consistency can be seen throughout this map to efficiently detect where the stages are located. Each stage is clearly labeled with the same, all-caps font with a dark shadow behind it to increase visibility. The landmarks also represent the size and shape of the physical architecture to compare with others. I will admit that the visibility of the map as a whole is limited by the background color in relation to specific icons that are also in the pastel color scheme.
The principle wayfinding is very evident throughout the use of this map. There are clear icons that identify with basic needs such as food, water and restrooms, while there are clear indications of orientation as a user could recognize the size and shapes of each icon while they are navigating the environment. The signage they employ inside the festival is large and visible, so that the user can determine if they’ve reached their destination or not.
Sidenote: I couldn’t use the following map for this exercise because it doesn’t pertain to a specific place… but check out this really awesome foodie interactive map! Instagram Food Capitals