The V&A Waterfront is South Africa’s most popular visitor attraction, with more than 25 million people visiting every year. The Watershed, designed by Wolff Architects, is located within the Waterfront and comprises of four main components: The Craft and Design Market, Wellness Center, Jubilee Exhibition Hall, and Workshop17, a co-working space. Wolff Architects, in collaboration with Kandi, were appointed to develop the V&A Watershed signage and wayfinding system.
The brief was to establish a system that defines the hierarchy between the Watershed and the four activities within. There was a need to enhance visitor experience, improve orientation, highlight location of facilities, and to ensure a coherent visual language. The wayfinding/signage strategy and design needed to be incorporated into the architecture of the building. The layout of the building features a ‘market street’ running through the middle of the building, with suspended floors above, and featuring glass panel walls. The design needed to provide a visually cohesive and eye-catching language, working with existing colour schemes of the Watershed identity of yellow, white, grey and navy.
Outcome
We developed a visual language using supergraphics applied to glass panels and market ‘streets’ to define the different areas. We also incorporated a wayfinding map to orientate visitors (strategically placed at decision-making points), and a facility wayfinding system using oversized street pole signs. Line of sight and viewing distances were of utmost importance in the busy market environment.
A critical aspect of the wayfinding system was to improve the knowledge of facility locations. Considerations were taken into account for the toilets being located on level 1 and natural foot traffic through the building being on ground floor. As many visitors are internationals and not all English speaking, we specifically designed the facility signs using symbols instead of written words. In accordance with the Watershed tagline of ‘Forever Inspiring’, we introduced quirky and fun detailing to the iconography, with Afro hairstyles and textured patterns. These were particularly noticeable in the male and female large toilet signs. A comprehensive manual was developed to document the signage and wayfinding system in its entirety. The guideline manual provides rules and principles in the design and construction of new signs.
Client
V&A Waterfront
Industry
Retail
Project
V&A Watershed signage and wayfinding
Services
Strategy
Visual identity
Wayfinding
Signage
Iconography
Illustration
Graphic design
Signage guidelines
