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Syracuse Spotlight

Architecture student redesigns 700 new all-gender restroom signs

Kayla Anderson | Staff Writer

Samuel Dye worked with international design firm Pentagram to design the new all-gender restroom signs that will be posted on 700 bathrooms across the campus.

Syracuse University is installing new all-gender restroom signs on the 700 single-occupancy, all-gender restrooms around campus.

The Restroom Signage Committee, which includes representatives from the Office of Residence Life; the LGBT Resource Center; and Campus Planning, Design and Construction, worked on the signs for months.

The committee partnered with Pentagram, an international design firm, and a Syracuse University student who put the final design together.

Samuel Dye, senior architecture major, designed the new all-gender restroom signage. Dye was an intern in the Campus Planning, Design and Construction office, and was assigned the project because he had previous experience in graphic design.

As an architecture student, Dye works a lot with design tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Rhino. Dye created the design for the signs by taking the input from the committee and from Pentagram and combining everyone’s ideas.



“My boss gave me the assignment in January, and I took the designs that Pentagram had, plus what the LGBTQ community wanted, and came up with several iterations,” Dye said.

The committee then voted on the design that would be used all over campus.

The result was the sign that reads, “Anyone can use this restroom regardless of gender identity or expression.” The signage is also Americans with Disabilities Act accessible, and includes Braille.

In addition to working with the Campus Planning, Design and Construction office, Dye was also selected to be a class marshal at this year’s School of Architecture graduation ceremony.

Although Dye is originally from Syracuse, he does not plan on living here after graduation. Dye said he hopes to get a job at an architecture firm in Boston or New York City. In the future, he hopes to work in higher education design or commercial design.





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