Via Collective

Building What’s Next: Reflections from the Inaugural DBIA NYC Metro Region Conference

Katie Osborn — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:44:30 +0000

At Via Collective, our practice is rooted in understanding how people navigate complex, ever-evolving environments. Last week, I had the opportunity to step back and look at the macro-level forces shaping those environments at the inaugural Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) NYC Metro Region Conference. Held at the iconic Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, the two-day event centered on…

Source

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…

Source

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…

Source

Designing the Changing Workplace

Gus Whitaker — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:40:30 +0000

Workplaces are Changing; the Way We Design Them Should, Too The modern workplace is less about ritual and routine, and more about how people move, meet, collaborate, and connect. Open offices, hot desking, shared amenities, digital room booking, and flexible collaboration spaces have changed what it means to come to work. A desk may not always be yours. A meeting room may be somewhere you’ve…

Source

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…

Source

Welcome to New York… Almost

Kevin Spencer — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 19:27:32 +0000

Airports are the gateways of modern travel. They remain the essential bridge between departure and arrival, but are only one component of the full travel experience. For anyone traveling to New York City, that journey begins with a deceptively simple question: Which airport should I fly into? John F. Kennedy International (JFK), Newark Liberty International (EWR), and LaGuardia (LGA) each offer…

Source

Color as a Tool: From Brand Identity to Wayfinding and Experience

James Tupling — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:10:48 +0000

Color is more than just a palette. In the built environment, it is a powerful tool in wayfinding for communicating information, establishing identity, shaping perception, and influencing how people experience space. When thoughtfully deployed, color can add both strategic and emotional value to navigation systems, creating a consistent visual language that reinforces spatial hierarchy while giving…

Source

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.

Source

The Signs That Guide Us: A Look at Accessibility in Everyday Wayfinding

Jess Schrader — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:01:27 +0000

Whether you’re catching a flight, navigating a busy train station, or exploring a new city this summer, chances are you’re relying on the wayfinding cues within your environment to get around. The elements you encounter along your way take many forms, from tactile identification signage at the entrances to restrooms all the way down to an intuitive decision a visitor might make to walk up the…

Source

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…

Source