Upstairs at Toombul
It’s much more than your average food precinct. UPSTAIRS is a foodie playground. Sip on cocktails under a brightly lit display of neon splendour or wander through the cool industrial indoor and outdoor spaces wrapped around a sparkling feature
fountain Whether it be a puppy brunch date, listening to an undiscovered gem during a Sunday session with your friends, a mid-week bite with the mum’s group or date night with bae, UPSTAIRS will invite you back again and again with a new experience on
offer each time.
The Challenge
Our role was to harnesses a new identity through the concept of the ‘vibrant warehouse,’ building on key design themes and principles from the architecture, branding and landscape design. Evoke the feel of a urban laneway precinct focused on entertainment and dining (unique to Toombul)
A place to be discovered (rather than advertised) The signage should blend art and wayfinding Help set the precinct clearly apart from the shopping centre below. Not look like any signage seen in other shopping centres Appeal to a new generation of Toombul locals (20-30yo’s who wants the city experience in the suburb)
Project Vision
It’s much more than your average food precinct. UPSTAIRS is a foodie playground. Sip on cocktails under a brightly lit display of neon splendour or wander through the cool industrial indoor and outdoor spaces wrapped around a sparkling feature fountain. Whether it be a puppy brunch date, listening to an undiscovered gem during a Sunday session with your friends, a mid-week bite with the mum’s group or date night with bae, UPSTAIRS will invite you back again and again with a new experience on offer each time.
Toombul Mall – Wayfinding totem
The Blueprint
Toombul Mall – Amenities Neon Installation
The Blueprint
Toombul – Wayfinding totem – Close up
The Blueprint
Design + Execution
The key design principles for the team were:
Create an Attraction
Invite people into the precinct with a visually strong and welcoming structures. This element would catch the eye and create a sculptural element to draw you in and identify the new precinct. It would also tie the wayfinding together and create a strong identity for the signage family.
Life as a Stage
As a place of live performances we were encouraged to explore theatrics and playfulness of design with both form and finishes.
Room to Move
The goal was to ensure clear and easy to navigate routes while also allowing a variety of experiences. Allow for secondary pathways within the varied retail and food and beverage zones, whilst maintaining intimate interactions.
Urban Play
Reinforcing a sense of drama, scale and mood by creating a warehouse like atmosphere in the existing double level space.
Toombul Mall – Amenities Wayfinding
The Blueprint
Toombul Precinct – Entry Wayfinding
The Blueprint
Toombul Wayfinding – Signage Concept
The Blueprint
Toombul Wayfinding – Signage Suite
The Blueprint
Project Details
Design Team
Aleks Zoric (client), Helen Punton (design manager), Thomas Smart (designer), Warrick Trewavas (project manager)
Collaborators
Thomson Adsett (architecture firm), TCL (landscape architecture), The Blueprint (physical fabrication)
Photo Credits
The Blueprint
Open Date
January 2020