Blurring the lines of lifestyle and learning, Curtin’s new Exchange precinct creates a modern village environment. Students and visitors can now settle into stylish short or long term accommodation, right in the middle of the Curtin community. Retail and hospitality offerings complete the village vibe with places to study, eat, meet and socialise, completed by a full service grocer catering to those who choose to stay in for the night.
With three new accommodation buildings, and the newly completed School of Design & Built Environment, Curtin’s value for great design is immediately evident in the architecture and public spaces which make Exchange unique.
Publik were engaged by Curtin University to develop a wayfinding strategy which would assist visitors to safely self-navigate Curtin’s brand new Exchange precinct. The strategy provides a sense of familiarity within the Curtin campus, welcoming visitors and enabling them to find their way throughout Exchange.
The Curtin Exchange wayfinding strategy establishes guidelines and considerations for implementing wayfinding communications to the precinct, these principles assist and enhance the user experience for those visiting Exchange. The strategy forms the framework for future wayfinding within the precinct to ensure a consistent approach to navigation as Exchange grows.
Whilst some will already be familiar with the greater Curtin campus, many new user groups will be visiting Exchange for the first time. A successful strategy ensures wayfinding signage effectively serves all visitors, no matter their level of familiarity with the campus or precinct.
A broad cross section of user groups were identified in order for us to accurately map the visitor journey within the precinct. Arrival and departure options to and from the precinct were also examined to understand the full picture of the visitor’s journey, and resulting experience when visiting Exchange. Each visitor group has unique considerations and requirements impacting their wayfinding journey such as wheelchair users requiring ramps or cyclists needing bicycle storage, each must be accounted for when plotting signage locations and determining content and accessibility.
A family of wayfinding signage typologies has been designed, bridging existing campus communications with the new design language of Curtin Exchange. This approach delivers a level of familiarity with existing users, while a cleverly adjusted design provides a seamless transition into the Exchange landscape.
Full design tender documentation was produced by Publik for the successful delivery of the Exchange wayfinding signage. This project was delivered considerably under early build budget estimates, evidence that combining fabrication knowledge with design consultancy delivers tangible rewards.
