Sydney Theatre Company

Signage & Wayfinding

Wharf Renewal Wayfinding — the harbour edge of the wharf, ladder rungs above deep blue water

Collider's worked with Sydney Theatre Company (STC) to make their patron's experience as enjoyable and streamlined as possible through a highly functional and timeless wayfinding system.

Careful to work within the modernisation and context of the project, our process looked to the harbour setting for inspiration.

We approached the sign forms as integrated buoyant shapes instead of appended static elements by playing with how the signs might intersect with the architecture in dynamic ways.

Illuminated wayfinding box directing visitors to Wharf 1 Theatre and the Neilson Family Gallery
Brand and wayfinding at the wharf, a directory panel beside the Acknowledgement of Country wall
Detail of the destination sign typography, an arrow above ruled lines naming each theatre

Subtle distance cues in the wayfinding directory graphics show, at a glance, the proximity and frequency of destinations to the patron's position.

Sydney Theatre Company directory panel mounted in the timber-framed wharf corridor
A small level directory fixed to a dark timber post, listing floors from the box office up
Wharf 2 Theatre lightbox projecting from a grey wall beneath black pendant lights
Wharf Renewal Wayfinding panel in the foyer, arrows splitting traffic between the two theatres
Sydney Theatre Company donor wall of glowing name-boxes lit against dark timber panelling

Warm illumination, a neutral material palette and highly legible typography helped compliment the layered architectural heritage of the space while providing beacon like clarity for theatre goers.

Angled view along the donor wall, glowing white blocks carrying supporters' names
Experience design in the corridor, a cluster of illuminated donor blocks climbing the wall
Sydney Theatre Company toilets sign, an illuminated bar carrying accessibility pictograms
The full family of wayfinding sign modules laid out in white on a grey field
Height study drawing setting every sign in the 2021 system against a standing figure

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