larrangement

Larrangement is a design principle and methodological term describing the arrangement of visual or physical elements along an L-shaped path, combining a vertical spine and a horizontal arm to guide gaze and movement. The term is used across disciplines such as graphic design, wayfinding, and exhibition layout.

The core idea is to provide a simple, two-axis navigational structure that allows primary items to be placed along the vertical axis for prominence and secondary items along the horizontal axis for contextual detail, enabling efficient scanning. It emphasizes hierarchy, locality, and balance, while preserving flexibility for varying content densities.

Common implementations include signage clusters where main category labels appear on the vertical spine with related items arranged along the horizontal arm; wall or shelf displays that begin at an anchor point and progress downward and then rightward; and digital dashboards where key metrics sit on the vertical axis with controls and filters extending horizontally.

History and evaluation: The concept emerged in the mid-2010s as a response to traditional grid layouts that sometimes fail to guide attention in mixed-media environments. Practitioners cite benefits such as faster information retrieval and improved readability, though limitations arise with dense content or non-linear navigation.

Variants and related terms: Variants include single-L and multi-L configurations, as well as curved-L adaptations. Larrangement intersects with related layout concepts such as grid systems, F- and Z-layouts, and reading patterns, offering a complementary approach when directional cues are important.