Project Overview
Water NSW were seeking services for an environmental graphic design agency to help deliver on their vision for a modern fitout over three levels which will consist largely of open plan workstations, collaborative settings, meeting rooms, breakout spaces and other support facilities. Interior Designers, Valmont, developed a concept approach for the interiors. The graphics are inspired by the NSW landscape utilising a natural palette, textures and warmth with colourways of blue and water tones integrated into the design. With the interiors conveying neutrality and calm, the client wanted the graphics to add a fun and colourful layer to the staff areas.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Creative Director: Ben Hennessy
Senior Designer: Henry Ellis-Paul
Design Manager: Hannah Radford
Graphics Contractor: Scaffad
COLLABORATORS:
Valmont - Interior Designers - Linda Mason National Design Manager. Megan Paddison Interior Designer, Nick Barrack Senior Interior Designer
Knight Frank -
Project Manager: Lindsay Alexander - Assistant Project Manager,
Senior Project Manager: Oliver Sanchez
Project Brief
Water NSW’s new premises in the Parramatta office amalgamates 3 separate entities under one roof. Water NSW was seeking environmental graphics design services to realise the vision for a 3-level open plan, contemporary fitout. The client wanted the graphics to reflect their business in water as a utility without being too literal. It needed to relax the aesthetic of the interiors, encourage a less formal approach to working and add a fun vibrant layer to the staff areas.
Project Innovation/Need
The NSW landscape was the key theme, with a focus on water. The bold and playful graphics are pleasantly unexpected revealing a less formal and personable side to the brand. Three patterns are used - one representing water, coast/sand and the bush. The expansive colour palette allowed abstract expressions of the water theme while the graphics have multiple layers to promote the continuous discovery of new details. A language of symbols was used on doors and desks to identify different workspaces with a series of posters designed to communicate space usage.
Design Challenge
The challenge lay in creating a graphic approach that balanced informality with fun, yet appropriate for the contemporary office fitout of a government department. Furthermore, employees of Water NSW had frustrations with perception of losing personal space due to moving to an open plan office. The graphics needed to educate staff on how to use their new space and maximise all the spaces available to them.
Effectiveness
The environmental graphics and signage of the scheme was designed to withstand the daily wear & tear that is inevitable within a busy workplace with each element made to last the life span of the interior fitout. All signage elements were created in a way to allow for updates and alterations should there be any requirements to change the messaging in the future and avoiding remaking complete sign forms.
Graphic Design - Environmental
This award celebrates creativity and innovation in the intersection of communication design and the built environment, and is concerned with the visual aspects of wayfinding, communication identity and brands, information design and shaping the idea of place. Consideration given to clarity of communication and the matching of information style to audience.
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