403 Thompson Apartment Complex

Project Overview:
The city was examining a new way of offering social housing in London and it changed the way those in need live. For the first time, the city partnered with a housing agency where the city builds housing and retains ownership, but contracts out the running of the facility to an agency. 

INPS was contracted to fabricate, deliver, and install a comprehensive signage package for EllisDon’s affordable housing project, 403 Thompson Road, London, Ontario. The project included a range of custom interior and exterior signs, such as: 

• Floor indicator levels 
• Braille signage
• Room identification
• Room numbers
• Parking signs 
• Pylon Sign
• Notice Signs

Challenge:
INPS was required to manufacture and install signage systems in full compliance with applicable fire safety codes and accessibility legislation, specifically the Ontario Building Code (OBC), CSA B651: Accessible Design for the Built Environment, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Compliance was mandatory throughout the full project lifecycle, from fabrication to on-site installation.

Solution:
INPS engineered and fabricated all signage using materials that met CAN/ULC-S102 fire performance standards, with documented compliance to flame spread ratings ≤ 25 and smoke developed index ≤ 50, as required for interior finish materials in public buildings. 

Accessibility compliance was achieved by integrating: High-contrast, sans serif, and glare-resistant typefaces for visual legibility; Tactile raised characters with a minimum 0.8 mm height and rounded edges; Grade 1 uncontracted Braille, applied in conformance with CNIB and CSA B651 guidelines; Installation heights between 1,200 mm and 1,500 mm from the finished floor to tactile characters; Minimum 600 mm × 600 mm clear floor space in front of each sign to ensure unimpeded wheelchair access.

Location: 403 Thompson Road, London, Ontario

Scope of Project:

•  Project Management
• Fabrication
• Direct Braille Printing
• AODA-Compliant Signage
• CNC Cutting
• Parking Lot Signs
• Installation