We worked recently with Landesberg Design to complete a great set of lobby signs for the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, part of the University of Pittsburgh. The research laboratories were dedicated to Stuart K. Patrick, a long-time supporter of the Institute, and we were asked to create something unique. We fabricated two acrylic letter signs with black brushed aluminum faces.
The photos display the entire set of painted acrylic letters installed on the hallway walls of the research labs. Also included are photos of the installation process and close-up shots of individual letters.
Since its establishment in 1985 as the University of Pittsburgh Transplantation Institute, the mission of the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute (STI) has been to improve the clinical, scientific, and social aspects of transplantation. The breadth and depth of STI’s efforts to develop innovative forms of transplantation distinguish this transplant program from any other. STI is a leading international resource dedicated to helping people with end-stage organ failure; its comprehensive approach has kept STI consistently at the forefront of this lifesaving field. Renamed in 1996 in honor of Thomas E. Starzl, MD, Ph.D., STI has remained at the forefront of solid organ transplantation research for more than two decades.
The Starzl Transplantation Institute was honoring a benefactor to the institute, Stuart K. Patrick, by naming the research laboratories after him. They approached Spark Signs with the need for two signs for the hallways leading to the labs to be produced prior to the unveiling ceremony, which was fast approaching. We shared multiple options with the design team from Landesberg Design, the firm heading the project. 
This sign type was not just a simple acrylic letter sign. Rather, we sourced black brushed aluminum facing for the acrylic letters and custom painted each of the 172 letters blue and silver on either side.
We installed the same letters on two different walls, both of which led to the laboratories. To ensure the signs were placed properly, we applied a pattern of the signs on the wall and affixed each letter one at a time. The pattern assured that the spacing between letters would be per design. After completing each wall, we carefully cleaned the letter faces and then covered the signs so they could be unveiled at the ceremony several days later.
STI appreciated us working around a very tight schedule and the sleek signs we produced for their research labs. The Director for Research Administration and Academic Affairs, Mindi, remarked, “I needed signage designed and installed with a quick turn around time for a grand unveiling. Spark Signs worked with our designer to create a beautiful sign. EVERYONE was happy with the sign at the unveiling.”
If you are looking for a sign company that has experience in customized signage and working around tight schedules and importantly – want the project to be managed smoothly – consider Spark Signs & Graphics. We specialize in outdoor and indoor signs of all types, vehicle wraps and trade show and event displays. Call us at 724-510-0677, check us out at www.sparksigns.com, or visit our showroom in the North Hills of Pittsburgh.
