Katie Osborn | Via Collective

Team Update: Gus Whitaker Promoted to Senior Designer

Katie Osborn — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:49:04 +0000

We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Gus Whitaker to Senior Designer! Since joining Via Collective, Gus has been an invaluable asset to our team, bringing his interdisciplinary expertise and deep sensitivity to typography to craft intuitive, innovative wayfinding solutions. He has played a vital role in the success of complex, high-profile environments across the country…

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Designing for Ages and Stages: Wayfinding and EGD in Educational Spaces

Katie Osborn — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 20:16:21 +0000

The Visitor Advocate Educational spaces serve people at very different stages of life. A young student entering a school for the first time has different needs from a college student navigating a new campus—and both have different needs from a faculty member, staff member, or first-time visitor. As an advocate for the visitor, Via Collective approaches educational wayfinding and environmental…

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Master Planning the Visitor Experience: Insights from the EdUp Campus Planning Podcast

Katie Osborn — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:28:50 +0000

Recently, Via Collective’s Principal and Wayfinding Strategist, Katie Osborn, joined host Chris Morett on the EdUp Campus Planning podcast. Their conversation explored the intricate relationship between people and the spaces they navigate, peeling back the layers of what it truly means to design an intuitive environment. From a high-stakes hospital visit to a freshman’s first day on a sprawling…

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Welcoming Caroline Atkinson to Via Collective

Katie Osborn — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 22:21:48 +0000

We are excited to share that Caroline Atkinson has joined the Via Collective team as Designer. Caroline brings a collaborative mindset and a passion for creating inclusive wayfinding experiences. She approaches design with empathy, recognizing that the most successful wayfinding systems are shaped by understanding the many ways people experience the built environment.

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Welcoming Kevin Spencer to Via Collective

Katie Osborn — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 06:26:38 +0000

We are excited to share that Kevin Spencer has joined the Via Collective team as Creative Director! Kevin shapes the firm’s design vision with a focus on clarity, simplicity, and purpose. He specializes in translating complex information into intuitive, human-centered experiences that support the public in everyday settings. Grounded in principles of equity and inclusion, Kevin brings a thoughtful…

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Bring Change Home: Reenvisioning a Presidential Center

Katie Osborn — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:59:22 +0000

On June 19, the Obama Presidential Center will officially open, bringing years of planning, design, and collaboration to life. Located in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park, the 19.3-acre campus reimagines what a presidential center can be—not simply a place that preserves history, but one that encourages civic engagement, learning, and community connection. The choice to open on Juneteenth…

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AAM 2026: Finding Our Space in Time and Place

Katie Osborn — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 18:58:35 +0000

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro delivered welcoming and opening remarks at the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, emphasizing museums as essential civic infrastructure. He positioned museums as vital community spaces that strengthen civic life, build stronger communities, and help preserve shared cultural heritage. He pledged ongoing state support for cultural…

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The Emotional Experience of Wayfinding

Katie Osborn — Thu, 21 May 2026 15:32:59 +0000

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing understanding around the many factors that influence emotional well-being. While conversations about mental health often center on healthcare, relationships, or workplace pressures, the built environment also plays a powerful role in shaping how people feel as they move through daily life. The experience of navigating a space…

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NJTransAction Conference: Rethinking How We Build and Connect

Katie Osborn — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:35:16 +0000

This year’s NJTransAction Conference brought together leaders across transportation, infrastructure, and design to discuss some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. Across sessions, three themes stood out: the rapid rise of AI in construction, the deep coordination required for the success of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the ongoing effort to deliver major infrastructure in dense…

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Wayfinding: More Than Just Signage

Katie Osborn — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:15:19 +0000

Wayfinding is often reduced to signs and symbols—but it’s far more than that. In Wayfinding: More Than Just Signage for Transform Magazine, I challenge this narrow perception, emphasizing that plaques and arrows are only a small part of a much broader, more nuanced experience. True wayfinding begins earlier than most realize—long before they ever encounter a physical sign.

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