ROW DTLA is an all-encompassing destination in downtown Los Angeles with a collective of shops, restaurants, and offices spreading throughout the six buildings on the 32 acre historic site—making it one of the city’s most quintessential urban destinations.

The Experience Design team at RIOS designed the exterior wayfinding signage and placemaking graphics throughout the site. In 2018, we received the Honor Award from SEGD for our work on this project.

It was important the site’s graphic language embody both the present and the past. Originally built between 1917–1923 along the Southern Pacific Railroad, the site was first known as the LA Terminal Market and was a major hub for distributing produce across the region. Large painted graphics on the buildings indicated different loading docks—some still visible today. These existing graphics served as inspiration for the various placemaking and wayfinding signage our team designed.

Throughout the site, we designed a painted graphic system for the buildings and street identifications, a custom die cut metal directory with colorful details, die cut metal vehicular wayfinding signage, large painted graphics at the site’s multiple entrances, restrooms, and parking garage, and even a retro inspired freestanding light box for the retail tenant directory.