Visual Communication - Bachelors
This project aims to enhance community connection and engagement with the City Botanic Gardens by mixing art with signage to create an interactive landmark for wayfinding that enriches sense of place and provides a more immersive and emotionally resonant visitor experience.
This project focused on creating sculptural wayfinding signage for the City Botanic Gardens to improve the visitor experience through creation of a visually appealing, environmentally friendly landmark that enhanced navigation and strengthened the connection between visitors and the environment. The project involved a person-environment interaction analysis, conceptualising the wayfinding landmark based on visitor feedback, and developing prototypes. The landmark aimed to foster a sense of community and connection with the Gardens, offering a more immersive and emotionally resonant experience with each visit.
The entrance to the City Botanic Gardens at The Domain was selected for the sculptural wayfinding landmark. The Domain is adjacent to Gardens Point Road and is near the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) campus and the Goodwill Bridge, which connects to South Bank. It is a junction point for a number of pedestrian and cycle pathways including the Bicentennial Bikeway, Goodwill and Story Bridge Circuit Walk, and the Brisbane River Loop.
An analysis of person-environment interaction was performed examining various domains to inform the development of the wayfinding landmark. Firstly, a site analysis was conducted, focusing on the physical characteristics of the selected area, including its size, configuration, location and layout. This was followed by an analysis of physical traces, based on Ziesel’s (1984) framework, and a perceptual assessment using Gibson’s (1966) theory of perception. Additionally, the appraisal incorporated observations of the site’s legibility and ambient qualities.
Visitors largely used the space for transit rather than as a destination, suggesting the site’s role as a navigational hub rather than a place for social interaction or prolonged use.
Key trends and patterns were identified in the feedback on Tripadvisor from visitors to the Gardens in 2023.
Initial iterations of the wayfinding landmark focused on the bold looping roots of the Banyan tree, resulting in nature inspired design sketches.
A copper finish was selected.
A physical prototype was sculpted following the construction of paper prototypes and experimentation in Shap-r 3D.
Three versions of the Digital Prototype were generated.
Izaak delivers authentic, simplistic, but visually impactful design solutions. With a background in Fine Arts and design, he combines creativity and analytical thinking to approach challenges holistically, creating designs that are visually striking, user-focused, and insightful.