莫斯科国立罗蒙诺索夫大学·导览系统丨俄罗斯莫斯科丨与国际城市发展公司Atlas合作完成

Lomonosov MSU — wayfinding system

In 2025, Moscow State University celebrated its 270th anniversary. To mark the occasion, it was decided to renovate the campus on Vorobyovy Gory, drawing on historical drawings, plans, and archival photographs.For this project, the international urban development firm Atlas developed a unifiedlandscape strategy—a document that establishes a general framework forthe existing historic complex and the new areas of the expanding campus,while also defining the university’s visual identity in light of its cultural significance tothe city.As part of this project, in collaboration with Atlas, we created a wayfinding systemthat reflects the university’s history while meeting modern requirements.

Today, the campus spans 336 hectares of academic buildings and dormitories, sports and administrative facilities, exhibition spaces, plazas, boulevards, and parks.A large open garden and park complex, where many buildings are cultural heritage sites. All of this needed to be connected by a unified wayfinding system that is convenient for everyone: prospective students and current students, faculty and staff, tourists, and local residents. We distinguished the campus from the urban environment by aligning the graphic design with the university’s current identity, while preserving the familiar logic of Moscow’s urban wayfinding system. This way, we don’t force people to relearn how to navigate, but we clearly convey: you are on university grounds, and there is plenty to see here.

During the research phase, we carefully analyzed and systematized visit scenarios for each audience. To understand how people perceive the site and the objects within it, we compiled user routes and mental maps, identified key directions, and reorganized all place names according to their hierarchy.

The wayfinding graphics are aligned with MSU’s brand identity. The icons continue the aesthetic of the brand font with its bold serifs and were designed with the scale of application in mind from the outset. The set maintains a consistent style, but the shapes are quite varied—this improves readability. Additionally, the icons differ in tone and saturation: publicly accessible facilities are highlighted more vividly, while restricted-access areas are intentionally muted.

Color coding is used for different categories of facilities: academic buildings are brick-red, research buildings are dark brown, and sports and administrative buildings are beige. Areas outside the campus are shown with less contrast and detail to keep the focus on the university. At the same time, important external facilities are also marked and labeled. Areas inaccessible to outsiders are marked with hatching.

Buildings and objects worthy of attention are not only rendered in 3D but also further detailed, including recognizable features. For example, the towers of the main building feature not only a clock but also the world’s largest thermometer and barometer.

The campus map is a standalone feature within the wayfinding system: we designed it separately from the city map to immediately highlight the campus as a distinct part of the city and help users quickly understand its boundaries, buildings, and routes. The map has four orientation options, depending on the location of the information kiosk. Each view shows the walking radius from the current location. The coordinate grid helps users quickly find locations via the legend below the map, but it doesn’t create visual clutter, remaining visible only upon close inspection. In the legend, locations are grouped by function: academic and research buildings, sports and social spaces, park areas, and transportation.

The map highlights the best vantage points and selfie spots. It also hides a few small details that liven up navigation and make it feel a bit less formal.

The system includes two types of wayfinding stels, flag signs, as well aswelcome and parking structures. The design and color scheme follow the logic of urban wayfinding: a black base, an anodized body in a warm shade, and internal lighting—while the graphics are organically integrated into the environment. The color palette is subtle: warm, slightly dusty tones drawn from the architecture and landscape are complemented by the university’s signature colors; the front panels are ivory, while the graphics and typography feature brown and brick-red tones.

Font pair: Moscow University Serif—the primary brand font for large headlines and key directional signage—plus a secondary functional sans-serif font, including for the map. Information is presented in three languages: Russian (primary), English, and Chinese (secondary).

This was a large-scale and high-stakes project, so each stage was accompanied byprototyping and testing. It was important to understand how the solutions worked in a real-world environment: to evaluate the logic, the proportionality of the scale of buildings and open spaces, readability, and contrast.

Project team:Daria Chebotareva, ProducerElizaveta Petrova, ProducerEkaterina Palshina, Strategy DirectorValeria Kadina, ResearcherEgor Myznik, Creative Director and PartnerIrina Purtova, Art DirectorEvgeniya Khludentsova, Art DirectorDiana Nikolaeva, DesignerNadezhda Appaeva, ArchitectAnna Volkova, Motion DesignerAlexander Slipchuk, Motion DesignerOleg Alyakrinsky, Proofreader and English TranslatorElvira Andreeva, Proofreader and Chinese TranslatorAlexandra Sytnikova, Founder and CEO of AtlasAnna Belinskaya, Project Director at AtlasIlya Novoselov, Project Manager at AtlasDanila Shorokh, Art Director at Moscow State University