Image Credit : Photographer – Rix Ryan Photography
Project Overview
Located on the corner of Surfers Paradise Boulevard and Cavill Mall in the Gold Coast, Paradise Centre recently underwent a major redevelopment, enhancing the existing retail center and introducing two levels of beachfront alfresco dining.
Inspired by nostalgic days at the beach, our wayfinding system pays homage to the site’s coastal surrounds, in the heart of Surfers Paradise.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Director - Angela Stephens
Creative Director - Tony Gilevski
Designer - Sidonie Prentice
Industrial Designer - Drew Hernando / Paloma Leon Ravest
Wayfinding Strategist - Angela Stephens / Natalia Biedron-Jarosz
Architects - Buchan Group, Scott Carver
Project Manager - Savills Australia
Signage Contractor - Diadem
Photographer - Rix Ryan Photography
Project Brief
Paradise Centre is the largest shopping destination in Surfers Paradise, boasting Timezone, Woolworths, Zone Bowling, 90+ specialty shops, an alfresco beachfront dining precinct and an exciting entertainment offering.
A key component of the redevelopment was the Eastern Precinct, which capitalizes on beach views and opens up the site to visitors along the Esplanade.
The owner needed a wayfinding solution that would resonate with the unique combination of visitor and resident lifestyle offerings, contributing to a sense of place and connecting the physical environment with its transient audience.
Project Innovation/Need
Our strategy highlighted the requirement for integrated and welcoming facade treatments with brand clarity, and the design of a cohesive wayfinding system with a consistent and playful visual language, to build a sense of place.
The design concept introduced layered, draping forms to create a relaxed aesthetic and a color palette inspired by the brand gradient alongside soft timber finishes.
Due to the seaside location, we were required to use corrosion-resistant material. We proposed the use of SFT (Sublimation Film Transfer) powder coating techniques, to mimic a blonde timber and this treatment was applied in a way it never had before; to follow a compound curve.
The resulting design presents sign forms that reflect a specific semantic language of place; one that resonates equally with visitors and residents.
Design Challenge
With the vast majority of visitation to Paradise Centre deriving from tourism, this transient cohort requires ease of navigation as well as clear tenant choices.
Through the provision of connected, high-quality retail and public spaces we wanted to create a vibrant and authentic, family-orientated entertainment and leisure destination that encouraged both tourists and the local community to dwell and socialize; redefining and energizing the “heart” of Surfers Paradise.
The design was supported by a suite of custom pictograms, which contributed to the casual and fun vernacular of the wayfinding system, building an identity that connected to the narrative of ‘long summer days’
Ensuring the longevity of construction was a key consideration in our design process. The use of vandal-resistant materials and construction methods was vital in this youthful and energetic environment. Materials that adhered to strict combustibility calculations were required for high-level façade signage, and critically had to resist the corrosion in the saline seaside location.
Sustainability
Sign faces have been designed to be robust, however, left unsealed to allow for content evolution over time without the need to replace a face panel. This ensures that updates can be made with minimal environmental impact for years to come. In addition, panels were cut from standard sheet sizes to minimize production waste.
Construction is typically from aluminium, being one of the most recycled and locally available materials. Manufacture was completed locally in Queensland, limiting supply chain distance traveled and any related environmental impact.
Architecture - Mixed Use - Constructed
This award celebrates the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow.
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