Ruth Super

Ruth Super focuses her 20+ years of practice experience in Graphics and Architecture on Inclusive and Accessible Wayfinding.
Ruth Super passionately believes that a successful wayfinding project is one that seamlessly communicates inclusion and accessibility at all levels: aesthetically, culturally, economically, age and ability-wise.
Ruth currently has her own design practice and also works as a Wayfinding and Exhibit Accessibility and Inclusive Design Consultant for the Institute for Human Centered Design. As a consultant she seeks the collaboration between owners, stakeholders, architects, interiors and exhibit designers and aims to be a resource to designers in resolving the seemingly conflicting issues of regulations, inclusivity and design.
Ruth has worked as an Inclusive Wayfinding and Exhibit Design Consultant on national and international projects in areas such as University Campuses, Schools, Healthcare, Museums, and Corporate Offices. Some of the highlights being Harvard Medical School-Boston, Boston Architectural College-Boston, MassArt-Boston, Georgia Tech-Atlanta, Blue Cross Blue Shield-Boston, 9/11 Museum-NY, Center for Civil and Human Rights-Atlanta, Georgia, African American History and Cultural Museum-Washington DC, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights-Winnipeg, Canada.
She has also helped to develop the Massachusetts Wayfinding Standards FMMS-17 for the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) and the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s UP Program for Inclusive Design for cultural organizations.
Ruth Super received her BA Graphic Design Honors degree at Liverpool Polytechnic (now John Moore University) and her M.Arch with Commends from the Boston Architectural College.
Over the course of her career in the design field Ruth gained her graphic design work experience in the UK interning in advertising agencies for Saatchi and Saatchi, J. Walter Thompson and Leo Burnett and then moved to the US where she was the Graphic Design and Visual Communications Co-ordinator for The Coffee Connection. When Starbucks took over she left and set up SuperGraphics. The retail projects that she took on evolved from 2D environments to 3D and as she became more involved in the built environment she decided to go back to school at the Boston Architectural College (BAC) where she enrolled in a Masters in Architecture program. Ruth received her Interiors and Architectural work experience at The Interiors Group, ADD Inc., Levi + Wong Design Associates, Nashawtuc Architects Inc. and Bruner Cott Associates in doing so she covered many fields. In 2009 Ruth attended an Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD) presentation and immediately felt she needed to become involved with Inclusive Design. Ruth worked at IHCD for 5 years before starting Ruth Super Design.
Ruth has been co-chair for the Boston Society of Architects Women in Design Awards Committee (WID) for the last 7 years and a guest critic and lecturer for Interior Design programs at New England School of Design, Mt. Auburn and Boston Architectural College. Ruth is a LEED AP.
Volunteer Activities
Boston Society of Architect (BSA) past Women in Design co-chair for 7 years and jury member. Universal Design and accessibility consultant for non-profit projects such as Discovery Museum Acton Accessible Treehouse, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Carousel and MCS/EI (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities/Environmental Illness) Vehicle for Change mobile home. Design consultant for Temple Emunah, Lexington Logo, Landscape.
Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn.