Australian Catholic University
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AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

A smarter
national standard

Helping 35,000 students and staff find their way across seven campuses in five states – all backed by a standardised national signage and wayfinding strategy.

ACU engaged Diadem to provide campus-wide end-to-end wayfinding and signage solutions and implementation. Diadem first developed the strategy, numerical system, building lexicon and conceptual designs at a national scale, followed by design documentation, procurement and implementation. This all incorporated the rollout of a new brand nation-wide.

Client

 Australian Catholic University

Year

2017

The need for
a national standard

Australian Catholic University (ACU) is ranked among the top 3% of universities worldwide. Founded in 1990, it had grown to encompass multiple campuses with a lack of consistency in its wayfinding.

ACU turned to Diadem to develop an integrated, logical naming strategy that would bring its campuses in line with university multicampus practices. It also needed to retain each building’s established cultural identity.

Finding clarity
and consistency

Every ACU campus had a different naming system and numerical system for buildings and faculties, as well as a signage and wayfinding system that had drifted into an inconsistency. This made the experience for students, staff and visitors across multiple campuses unnecessarily complicated.

Adding to the challenge was a rebrand which Diadem would also implement. This demanded a strategic and flexible approach that would solve present-day issues and work with the new brand. To achieve this, Diadem designed and executed a five-stage process.

Stage 1 – Audit & strategy

Working with academics and deans across ACU campuses, Diadem ensured the standardised national wayfinding was coherent with leadership’s vision. An audit of existing signage and wayfinding uncovered where students struggled the most and where there were opportunities to solve problems with innovative design.

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Stage 2 – Internal signage & wayfinding
With a simplified strategy featuring appropriately identified buildings, numerical wayfinding systems and timetabling codes, the signage also needed to keep the place names consistent with the saints they were named after. The design documentation required significant liaison to ensure this intent was met.

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Stage 3 – External signage and wayfinding
The new external wayfinding ensured navigating buildings, identifying amenities and finding facilities would not be burdened by the broad spectrum of building names, faculties and classifications. This included clear gate identification to ensure that students and visitors could enter campus grounds with easy direction.

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Stage 4 – Viewing distance analysis & sky signs
A detailed viewing distance analysis (VDA) determined the correct viewing angles, appropriate signage sizing and lighting solutions. Sky signs were then designed, documented, procured and implemented nationally.

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Stage 5 – Bespoke signage & completion
National signage and wayfinding implementation often reveal a few exciting design developments and changes for context. Following the overall rollout, a final phase determined that every campus sign was meeting the needs of students and faculty members. These last odd jobs were completed with the calibre and care of the rollout itself.

Our integrated model
at work

The strategy, design and rebrand planning was delivered simultaneously across some 10,000 assets.

A dedicated Diadem team was assigned to both wayfinding and rebranding to ensure seamless communication with key project stakeholders. As both workstreams flowed concurrently, Diadem guaranteed both worked hand-in-hand and that its wayfinding solution was adaptable to the new branding.

We planned our response early in the project’s stages, considering mass production in a short rollout period of just a few months. The core project team increased the contractor and supply network to set a high standard for manufacture ahead of sampling and prototyping.

These quality controls ensured the new ACU brand was delivered consistently across all sites and ready for the new academic year.

“Diadem staff work with a can do attitude, and what I have especially appreciated is their willingness to provide practical advice, work out solutions and work within the University structure and timetable to achieve timely goals and ensure that the ACU brand is professionally and systematically applied across all campuses.

Working with Diadem has been a pleasure, the relationship is built on trust and open communication.”

  • Jane Caton – National Infrastructure Manager, Australian Catholic University
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