Ferrier Hodgson Signage & Wayfinding

Practice Area

Client

Ferrier Hodgson

Industry

Project Vision

Ferrier Hodgson is one of Asia Pacific’s leading independent provider of business restructuring and advisory services. When they decided to move to a new office at Barangaroo, Extrablack was commissioned by their interior design consultant to create a large placemaking entry feature and wayfinding signage throughout the space.

The design of the various touchpoints needed to express the transformational nature of the business and create an inspiring and engaging environment for staff and visitors. On a functional level, wayfinding signage needed to successfully assist visitors at various times of day and support several multi-use areas that would transition from working spaces in the daytime to function venues after hours: “A place that speaks as much to the youth of our team as our senior leadership.”

The entry art feature is a 22-meter long composition of rotating forms that creates a “living” entry statement. The grid of block forms that transition in arrangement and pattern along the wall are inspired by the natural phenomena of flocking: the movement of birds with mathematical precision following one source – an influencer creating a unique, dynamic, responsive and fluid path.

For the signage and wayfinding elements, the transformative theme continues. Larger identifying signs as bold sculptural elements also serve as functional wayfinding. These are expressed as shifting dynamic shapes that appear to move and float along surfaces. Their materiality and form are also linked to the interior finishes.

Environmental graphics elsewhere are expressed two dimensionally, using the same visual language. Other elements such as lockers and multi-use spaces have a similar sense of energy and movement and act as smaller visual features that punctuate the environment.

Feedback from the client has been very positive. In particular, the feature wall has received many favorable comments by staff and visitors and provides a memorable and engaging feature as intended.

Project Details
Design Team

Ray Parslow (creative director), Sarah Magro (design director, concept creator, design development, artwork preparation), Michael Thompson (co-design director, art wall pattern development, artwork preparation)

Project Area

12,917 sq ft

Project Budget

$86,550

Consultants

Geyer, Kernel Property, Buildcorp

Fabricators

Euroline Pty Ltd, Stefan Kahn