Branching Out: A Narrative Wayfinding Experience

Tree Height Clue Station — Scarlet Oak, Davis Bike Scavenger Hunt
Role: Experience Designer
Tools: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop
Course Project: UC Davis DES 187 – Narrative Environments
Completed: Spring 2019

As part of a collaborative course project between UC Davis and the City of Davis, Branching Out invited participants of all ages and abilities—family teams, traditional bicyclists, and e-bike riders—to explore the city’s urban forest through a playful scavenger hunt. Sixteen themed stations were designed by student teams to activate curiosity, deliver public education, and strengthen place-based storytelling.

I was one of the station designers, assigned the Scarlet Oak tree at 518 Antioch Drive. My task was to transform a quiet corner of a neighborhood street into a site-specific learning environment—one that merged wayfinding, interpretation, and interaction to teach visitors how to measure a tree’s height and understand the impact of canopy trees in urban design.

Design Approach
Framed through the lens of narrative wayfinding and environmental graphics, I created a tactile and visual system that guided users through a self-paced experience:

• Infographic signage clearly outlined how to use the “stick method” to estimate tree height

• Color-coded measuring sticks (distributed by age/height) made the experience inclusive and intuitive

• Ground graphics and environmental signage extended the narrative, revealing facts about the Scarlet Oak’s history, scale, and ecological benefits as users moved through the space

• A facilitator apron carried the measuring tools—bringing a layer of analog interactivity to the experience

By treating signage as both a navigational and interpretive tool, I designed a temporary intervention that felt purposeful, accessible, and rooted in place.

Design Goals

• Build a human-centered activity that invites hands-on participation and intergenerational learning

• Reinforce urban forestry awareness through engaging visual systems

• Use scale, color, and movement to create a sense of flow, curiosity, and discovery

• Craft a micro-experience that stands alone, yet contributes to a larger city-wide story

Outcome
Participants were not just given information—they were guided through a mini adventure that layered physical movement with environmental storytelling. The project demonstrates how experiential signage and wayfinding can turn a public space into a meaningful touchpoint for connection, learning, and play.