Image Credit : Photography: Tania Jovanovic
Project Overview
Arterial design have recently completed a creative wayfinding signage design and production for the City of Port Phillip. The project aim was to increase awareness of, and traffic to, the vibrant creative industries throughout St Kilda and surrounds, and enable easy wayfinding from popular pedestrian hubs. Identified as ST KILDA Arts Precinct, the wayfinding unites all creative industry locations, highlighting walking distances, accompanied by a simple “you are here” map. The 2.4 metre tall sculptural signs act as colourful beacons, attracting intrigue and encouraging walking throughout the precinct.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Jan Nowell, Nick Lawson, Micaela Cancino
Project Brief
Arterial responded to the brief from Port Phillip council that sought to introduce creative wayfinding strategies to increase awareness of, and traffic to, vibrant creative industries across St Kilda and surrounding areas. The signage is intended to increase the time spent by pedestrians moving throughout St Kilda, and increase tourism through the provision of wayfinding to the creative industries. The final wayfinding installations/signage was to be creative, innovative and inspire people to stop and admire. The installations also aimed to improve the general look and feel of the St Kilda area by adding art and activity to the streetscape. The project was initiated by Creative Victoria which awarded a funding grant to the City of Port Phillip as a part of a greater vision to support and revitalise local creative industries.
Project Innovation/Need
Moving beyond typical utilitarian wayfinding design, this project bleeds into the realm of public art. The four signs spread across the St Kilda Art’s Precinct, act as sculptural beacons to attract the attention of pedestrians. Each sign has its own vibrant colour that coats the entire structure, including the base plates. The playful forms of the signage panels are mimicked across all the signs, forming a recognisable sculptural motif across the precinct. This design approach moves beyond the typical functional design of wayfinding, and draws on unique industrial design solutions and cutting edge fabrication. The artistic panel design is not only artistic but functional, with the consideration of simple and cost effective panel replacement for potential vandalism or venue name change.
Design Challenge
A challenge that arose from this project was the initial project delay and tight deadline as a result of the State Government funding restrictions. The time-frame pressures, along with current economic shifts that have emerged from the COVID experience, resulted in a later than expected delivery of the final wayfinding signs. This challenge was mitigated as much as possible by Arterial Design, with a faster than expected turn around of all design work. Unfortunately, elements out of our control were labour shortages, material shortages and delayed shipping times, along with the general project backlog left by multiple lockdowns across Victoria. We received nothing but understanding and cooperation from the client amidst multiple delays, resulting from such an unstable economic environment.
Sustainability
This project addresses 3 core sustainability values, Human, Social and Environmental. The sculptural wayfinding signage was designed at a Human scale to provide inclusivity for all ages and abilities to engage. Through extensive prototyping and research into accessible communication design, Arterial developed an outcome that not only meets international standards but exceeds them in regard to inclusivity. Not only is the final design pleasing to the eye, but it also raises awareness of the walkable nature of the St Kilda area, therefore increasing pedestrian movement between key arts venues. This in turn impacts the social quality of the local community and those who choose to engage with creative and community-centred businesses. Social impacts include the rewarding sense of belonging and connection with like-minded people within a thriving creative community. The project also addresses the pressing issue of increased car usage and traffic congestion throughout Melbourne’s outer-city suburbs. Research is proving more and more that sustainable transportation methods, particularly walking, are not only extremely beneficial to one’s health but also significantly reduce carbon emissions and the overall threat to the environment.
Wayfinding
This award celebrates creative and innovative design in the ways people orient themselves in physical space, and navigate from place to place. Consideration given to signage and other graphic communication, clues in the building's spatial grammar, logical space planning, audible communication, tactile elements and provision for special-needs users.
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