Project info
Client Research Triangle Foundation
Architect Duda Paine
Durham & Raleigh, North Carolina
Research Triangle Park
The Largest Research Park in the United States
Additional services
Placemaking Design Master Sign ProgramsAdditional markets
Parking Garage Design Workplace DesignWhere people & ideas converge
Spanning more than 7,000 acres across Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, Research Triangle Park had long stood as one of the most prominent research and technology hubs in the United States. Home to hundreds of companies ranging from global science and technology firms to startups, nonprofits, and academic institutions, the park had been a center of innovation for decades. At the time of this work, it was entering a bold new chapter, reimagining its identity and master plan to create human-focused, mixed-use districts that fostered collaboration, community, and creativity.
RSM Design was invited to help bring this vision to life through a campus-wide environmental graphics and wayfinding program. The first phase of this work centered on The Hub at RTP, a 100-acre mixed-use development blending lab and office space with retail, residential, hospitality, and greenspaces. Infused with art, programming, and opportunities for social connection, The Hub was designed as the heart of the park’s transformation. Our team carefully shaped a system that reflected the unique character of each district while weaving together a unified and connected experience across the entire campus.
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THE THREE CORNERS
Situated where Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill converge, Research Triangle Park functioned as both a geographic and intellectual crossroads for the region. Each day, more than 55,000 innovators—scientists, researchers, technologists, entrepreneurs, and students—passed through its corridors and gathered across its campuses, bringing with them a constant exchange of ideas and expertise. This daily convergence of talent not only reinforced the park’s role as an economic engine for the Triangle but also shaped its evolving identity as a place where disciplines overlapped, partnerships formed, and new possibilities emerged.
Research Triangle Parks’ 7,000 acres house hundreds of companies, including science and technology firms, government agencies, academic institutions, startups and nonprofits. More than 55,000 innovators come together here every day making it a city in of itself.
Embracing the Visitor Journey for a Global Innovation District
Wayfinding comprises all types of information that users gather. Wayfinding is multichannelled and is communicated via numerous elements - including landscape, lighting, brand implementation, signs and maps, person to person and even the web or applications.
Vehicular signage defines the perimeter of the district, beginning with an overhead freeway sign and continuing with directionals that lead drivers in.
The brand colors come through in layers, creating a strong visual statement.
Office, dining, and retail space framing an outdoor courtyard and stage to anchor a new downtown destination in RTP
Patterning threads through the environmental graphic design at RTP, giving the space moments of delight.
Exaggerated depth in the letter forms gives the signage dimension
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