BuroNorth

Dandenong Signage & Wayfinding

Posted 07/03/2012

Buro North were commissioned in 2010 to develop a wayfinding strategy for Dandenong in Victoria as part of a 15-20 year program of improvements that will revitalize the city. The wayfinding strategy aims to balance the needs of vehicular traffic with those of cyclists and pedestrians within Central Dandenong and help to provide greater connectivity within central Dandenong for the community.

Dandenong’s greatest asset is also its biggest challenge, in that it is the most culturally diverse city in Australia. 56% of the population was born overseas, 51% from countries that do not speak English as their first language from 156 different countries..

Buro North’s work included extensive site audits and stakeholder consultation to define pedestrian and vehicular behaviour and identify points of conflict between various traffic flows at certain times of day whilst communicating efficiently to this culturally and linguistically diverse audience.

The design was driven by the desire to allow the optimum information delivery heights for bicycle and pedestrian information and detailed mapping to determine the layout of the signs, with the form being a continuation of the landscaped bluestone pavements designed TCL and BKK in offset planes.

The wayfinding strategy identified a perception in the community that walking distances and the time required to walk was almost double reality, therefore maps provide a broad context view and a detailed walking view with all destinations signed in Dandenong now featuring average walking times to encourage more walking and less driving.

The RCD redevelopment project run by VicUrban and designed by Taylor Cullity Lethlean and BKK Architects has transformed the area reconnecting its civic, cultural, retail and commercial precinct’s over the last 3 years and is a credit to the tenacity of the team involved.

Photos by Daniel Columbo