Repurposing and future-proofing car parks
One of the hot topics over recent times is the future-proofing of car parks. The idea that future demand for parking is going to decrease in the face of technology advancements is leading the property sector to consider what to do with all the parking built in the past and how to prepare new developments […]
Wayfinding is at the core of Beijing Daxing International Airport
The foundation of fantastic wayfinding is within the structure and layout of a space. In that context, signage and other devices are the top layers filling up gaps and allowing users to easily find their destination. When we read about China’s new airport, the Beijing Daxing International Airport, we immediately noticed the attention given to […]
MLC School, Burwood – redesigning the pick-up and drop-off scheme
Background MLC School is a Uniting Church independent girls’ school. Founded in 1886, the school has been a pioneer in girls’ education by valuing academic and co-curricular activities equally and has a tradition of academic excellence. Located approximately 12 kilometres west of Sydney CBD in Burwood, MLC serves 1,200 students from pre-kindergarten to Year 12. […]
A wayfinding system developed for children
The wayfinding system and environmental graphics adopted at the Sant Joan de Déu Children’s Hospital in Barcelona are not what you would expect to find in a traditional healthcare environment. The designers used animals playing hide and seek as the concept for the wayfinding and graphics, playing with children’s imagination and getting their attention. The […]
Moscow Metro new wayfinding signage in time for the 2018 World Cup
Amongst the many investments and changes made to welcome tourists at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Moscow Metro wayfinding signage needed some attention. Moscow Metro infrastructure was first built in 1935 with many expansions, resulting in a variety of different signs implemented over the years. There were no signage guidelines, no standard typefaces or pictograms. […]
Six steps to add value to your car park
We are issuing a new series of videos discussing the six areas which every car park owner or manager should focus on to bring extra value to their asset. ptc. Managing Partner, Cristina Lynn, will cover a range of topics from car park design to differentiation, providing valuable advice on each video. Watch the first […]
Car park design inspiration
We are known enthusiasts of well-designed car parks and are thrilled whenever we find car park buildings that don’t get defined by the utilitarian aspect of the service and create a positive visual impact (see some of our previous posts: Another astonishing car park design and Parking design, a Dutch case). The Herma parking building […]
Road signs and the way we process information
Road signs should convey the maximum amount of information with the minimum amount of content, as it is not possible for drivers to stop their vehicle and carefully read the instructions presented. Therefore, images, typeface, colours and shapes of road signage are designed, or at least should be, in a way that their meaning […]
Unique underground structure to fit Opera House’s design
That the Sydney Opera House has a unique design we all know, but are you familiar with its ‘doughnut-shaped’ double helix car park? According to ABC, the car park design is one-of-a-kind that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Philip Pells and Neil Fimeri, two of the key people involved in the […]
How to stay relevant in the face of the online shopping revolution?
Frequently we hear speculation about the impact of Amazon and online shopping on brick and mortar retail. Last week, during a Property Council breakfast event targeted at the retail property sector, it was no different. The unanimous response from the panel (which comprised large retail businesses such as AMP Capital, KMART, Lendlease and economists the […]
Exploring internal and external wayfinding communication
Although the civil design and architecture foundations of a site dictate how people move around at a structural level, the wayfinding system is the communication layer guiding the navigation into and through the built environment. The wayfinding system provides numerous clues for users so that they can easily find what they are looking for. At […]
Royal Randwick Racecourse Car Park
Our team is pleased to see the progress on construction of the Australian Turf Club’s new 580 bay multi-storey car park at Royal Randwick Racecourse. ptc. provided parking and traffic advice including the development of the car park design and the specification and tender for the access control and parking guidance systems to be […]
Retail Parking Journey – 3 tips to improve your customer’s experience
Every customer touch point is crucial to ensure that branding and marketing efforts are successful. After all, attracting the target market to the shopping centre is just the first step. Once they get there you need to make sure they have an amazing experience that will result in more future visits. In that context, the […]
Under utilised car park areas – how to use them better?
When you are familiar with a car park, you know which floor or secret corner you will most certainly find an available spot. Those “always empty” areas may be a blessing for the regular customer, but parking managers and operators probably don’t have the same view. Underused space means that the car park is not […]
The future-proof car park
What will your car park be useful for if parking demand drops? Nobody can predict the impact of the changing landscape with regard to parking over the next 30 years. Mode shift, high density cities and autonomous vehicles will all impact in some way; it’s just a matter of when, how and by how much…....
The power of experiences
The experience economy Over the course of history, economic value has shifted according to developments in society. The transition from an agrarian to an industrial economy resulted in organisations gaining competitive advantage and charging higher prices for making goods instead of extracting commodities. The same process happened with the evolution from manufacturing to service…...
Embracing a new identity
Changing the name of an established company is not an easy decision, but sometimes it a necessary and timely one. External and internal factors influenced our decision to rebrand to ptc. The desire to expand our services to meet clients’ needs, whilst remaining anchored to our history made us realise that it was time to […]
Engaging branded experiences
It’s easy to think of branded experiences as initiatives promoting a company’s products and as an opportunity to sell. However, a well-designed branded experience goes a lot further than a monologue about the brand and its products and services. The main objective should be to translate the brand into meaningful and engaging experiences. Therefore, it’s […]
Curb extension to increase walkability
Los Angeles civic centre, one of the most walkable, transit and bike-friendly areas of the city, became more pedestrian-friendly with the added improvements at the intersection of First and Main streets. Similarly to what we reported on our recent post Design interventions for safer streets, the city Department of Transportation new treatments aims to make […]
Design interventions for safer streets
New design strategies are being tested in Mumbai to improve road safety. Last week, a temporary artwork was installed in the Mithchowki intersection, a risky road area in Mumbai, according to Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI). The redesign was based on principles of the Global Street Design Guide which focuses on distributing the road space […]
Innovative line marking – pros & cons
Car park design made the news when NewsMail reported about a shopping centre using double lines to mark bays. While some drivers criticised the design, the car park owner seems supportive of its benefits in comparison to the traditional single line marking. According to Australian standard, the size of bays with double line marking must […]
Another astonishing car park design
The new staff car park of the Cliniques Universities Saint-Luc hospital in Brussels is getting attention for its beautiful structure. The building, housing 985 parking spaces, has a wooden facade with a fluid undulating design to create a unique look. As reported by Web Urbanist, the architects responsible for the project were challenged to develop […]
Residential Car Sharing
Developers are always thinking of different ways to promote new mobility concepts for their projects, adapting designs and features to new technologies and social behaviours. Some of those initiatives have been reported in the Wayfinding Forum Blog, as the car-free office building and the bike apartments. Adding to those examples is a new residential building […]
Parking Design, a Dutch Case
Parking garages are not normally recognised for their aesthetical aspects. At the same time, the design of these facilities design usually doesn’t receive enough attention, especially in terms of creating a pleasant experience to its users. Therefore, parking structures are not the first type of development that come to mind when thinking about architectural awards. […]
NYC’s World Trade Center Transportation Hub receives mixed reviews
Nearly 15 years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and US$4 billion later, the World Trade Center (WTC) Transportation Hub has now partially opened to the public, according to businessinsider.com.au. The Hub serves as a connection between New Jersey’s PATH trains and NYC subways. The design for the hub was first revealed in 2004. It was […]
Challenging a parking fine? There is an app for that too
For an 18 year old in North London, new technology and creative thinking, has led to the creation of a website which allows motorists to contest parking tickets in seconds. The volume of parking tickets Joshua Browder was receiving was enough to inspire him to create his own website donotpay.co.uk to fast track the appeal […]
The woman behind 640km of bike lanes in NYC
Janette Sadik-Khan, NYC’s recent transportation commissioner, was instrumental in the introduction of over 640 km of bike lanes to the NYC cityscape. She was the driving force behind the impressive makeover of NYC’s Department of Transportation (DOT) from 2007 to 2013 with bikes, cycle paths and a new way of mobility top of mind. As […]
Bikes vs cars – a new film looks at the race for bike mobility in our modern world
Bikes are more than a tool for recreation and fitness. They are fast becoming the main source of transportation for many communities around the world. But more needs to happen for people to make the initial decision of putting the bike first. A new film by Fredrik Gertten, Bikes vs Cars, looks at the battle […]
Can Sydney develop its own digital traffic plan?
The world is embracing digital transformation with gusto and speed. Smart cities around the globe are reshaping and rebuilding themselves for the better and creating a more liveable and safe environment for residents. But for some reason Sydney is lagging behind. According to a recent report released by the Committee for Sydney, as reported in […]
The hidden beauty of America’s car parks
For Baltimore based photographer Ben Marcin, there is more to car parks than grey concrete and cars. Ben aims to identify the hidden beauty and colour of a standard ‘parking garage’, according to citylab.com To what is often considered as just a ‘space’ to park one’s car, Ben is able to see the structure, the […]