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Therese Huffman
...Creating Experiences that Entertain, Educate and Engage Visitors
Therese Huffman is the Owner and Principal of Signature Design, a company she founded in 1993. With over 30 years of experience, she specializes in creating unique visitor experiences through interpretive planning, wayfinding, and experiential design. Signature Design focuses on connecting people to places by highlighting their authenticity and significance, making them memorable destinations.12
Under her leadership, Signature Design employs a collaborative approach, working alongside various professionals such as architects, urban planners, and artists to ensure that their designs reflect the needs and values of the communities they serve. This process begins with public engagement to build trust and gather insights that inform their projects.1
Highlights
Minutes before the unveiling of the new interpretive marker at Charlie Loudermilk Park, Carmie McDonald of the Buckhead Heritage Society was speeding through some last-minute tidying up when she noticed it: a pile of twenty cigarette butts littering the ground—right in front of our brand new installation! With a grimace, she showed us at Signature Design the wet, brown smattering of spent filters.
And then we realized—the cluster of butts wasn’t merely trash, it was evidence that people walking by had stopped to read and interact with the two new interpretive signs long enough to finish their cigarette!
While carcinogenic litter may not be exactly the feedback that the Buckhead Heritage Society was looking for, it is proof that pedestrians are interested in reading about the history of the Buckhead Theatre, then peering through the historical photomontage to overlay the past onto the present. Visitor enjoyment and engagement is the goal of our interpretive plan, and now we have proof of public interest.
We are thrilled to install the first of many interpretive exhibits throughout the Buckhead neighborhood. Keep in touch for more updates on our projects!
Our interpretive Gateways are officially under construction at Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area!
Gateways are entry points to AMNHA and the launching sites of different visitor journeys. Gateways may also be recreational points of departure (such as a large trailhead) or the Gateways may be destinations in and of themselves. Huge slabs of stone were sourced from a local quarry to reflect the natural beauty and grandeur of the area. As key features of our master interpretive plan, each Gateway serves to provide thematic statements and story lines to make meaningful connections for visitors.
Thank you to everyone at Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area for your help in getting to this stage in the project. We can't wait to come visit!
