High-Rise and Skyline Signage
The signs people read from across the city, designed, sized and approved.
Kolano Design has designed and permitted many of the high wall signs on Pittsburgh's skyline, including the UPMC letters atop the 64-story U.S. Steel Tower, the FNB signs on First National Bank's new tower, the PNC signs at The Tower at PNC Plaza and the Federated Hermes rebrand on Liberty Avenue.
High-rise signage is equal parts design and approvals. A building-top sign has to read from blocks away, sit right on the architecture, and fit a sign code that usually limits its size and height. Kolano handles all of it, then hands fabricators a clear set of bid documents.
- Sign code review and sign allotment study
- Visibility studies from streets, highways and landmarks
- Letter sizing, spacing and illumination studies
- Planning Commission and Zoning Board approvals
- Bid documents, luminance letters and installation oversight
Selected Projects
Full portfolio
Common Questions
What is a high wall sign?
A high wall sign is a building identification sign mounted near the top of a tall building, usually a company name or logo, sized to be read from a distance. Most cities regulate them separately from signs at street level.
Do high-rise signs need City approval?
Almost always. In Pittsburgh, high wall signs go through zoning review and often the Planning Commission, and a sign that exceeds the code's size or height limits needs a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Kolano prepared the approval packages for PNC, First National Bank, PwC at One Oxford Centre and Federated Hermes.
How big should a building-top sign be?
It depends on the viewing distance, the building's proportions and what the code allows. Kolano runs sign allotment and visibility studies to find the smallest size that still reads from the key views. The UPMC letters on the U.S. Steel Tower are 20 feet tall and about half the city's maximum area.
Does Kolano fabricate or install the signs?
No. Kolano designs and manages the work, then bids it to sign fabricators and oversees installation, so the owner gets competitive pricing and one team accountable for the result.
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6026 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206