Part of the success enjoyed by Bangkok’s new overhead rail system, and the comfort and ease with which passengers navigate it, owes much to its overall signage strategy. A programme of sign typologies was developed along with iconic pictograms, location maps and bilingual information. Equally important was their positioning in typical stations along the route. As the first of Bangkok’s three advanced urban transport systems to open, the graphic standards set by BTS Skytrain were subsequently adopted by other networks.
(with Lloyd Northover Citigate)

Atelier Pacific has provided Signage Design Consultancy services for the new light rail system in Dubai in the U.A.E. The network consists of both overground and underground stations, each with approximately 85m-long platforms for light rail 4-car trains. Although there are different layouts for the stations, there is a degree of commonality among them, which focuses on establishing clarity throughout the entire-system and conveys word messages using a single typeface.

With the ambitious expansion of the waterfront facility in 1997, it became obvious that there was a mismatch in signage and branding between the new and existing linked structures. Atelier Pacific was entrusted with the task of rationalising the system to ensure both operate as a singular, seamless building. The unified re-design provides greater legibility and clarity and incorporates all the primary way-finding, food and beverage venues, and facility identification at the public entrances.

As part of a comprehensive scheme to promote areas of interest to visitors, Atelier Pacific was invited to conceive and develop a signing strategy, incorporating a pilot area implementation study for a territory-wide signage programme. The architecture was designed to be flexible and easily adapted once in place and a colour-coded system helps differentiate historic/cultural sites from general way-finding directions.
(with urban planners ACL Asia)

This project is part of the development, situated on top of the MTRC Airport Express Line Kowloon Station which is being developed in 7 phases. Phases 1 to 4, are strata-sale residential units, Phase 5 is a retail center owned by the MTRC, and Phase 6, twin towers of apartments and hotel that are developed by Harbour Vantage Limited, will be completed some time between 2006 and 2008. The 7th and final phase of the entire development, Tower 1, is a 490m, 118-storeys commercial tower with a total gross area of over 3 million sq.ft., which is scheduled for completion in phases between 2008 and 2010. All of these areas need to be comprehensively signed such that all visitors and users may orientate themselves and travel through the complete development without concern or confusion. Hence, Atelier Pacific’s role as Signage and Way-finding Design Consultant is to ensure the success of such a signage system.

Atelier Pacific’s role, throughout the lengthy process of the West Rail expansion project, ranged from initially assisting in the technical study for producing system-wide architectural and design guidelines, to subsequently being awarded the detailed design consultancy responsible for the design and development of signage and graphics. The programme stretched to nine stations, a depot and the new West Rail headquarters, all of which demanded an exhaustive set of tender documents for the supply and install contract.

This 32-hectare development at Tseung Kwan O (TKO) Area 86 TKOTL70 will be the single largest planned residential development ever undertaken in Hong Kong. When completed around 2015, the mixed-use development will consist of residential apartments, community facilities and ample open spaces inclusive of a central park, active nature and a promenade along the waterfront. Atelier Pacific’s role as Signage and Way-finding Design Consultant, includes preparation of a Master Signage Conceptual Plan, which would incorporate a site-wide wayfinding strategy with proposed signage locations at the estate roads and common areas.

In response to the success of the signage system at the Airport Express railway, the MTR Corporation decided to adopt the same strategy across the entire MTR network in Hong Kong. It was therefore natural to recall the original team. However, the client didn’t make it that simple for Atelier Pacific. The challenge was to shave off a significant portion of the budget by applying a rigorous engineering exercise. A comparable result was achieved by rationalising and economising on numbers, components, and detailed construction.

A new inter-city line bridging Taipei and Kaohsiung provided Atelier Pacific with the opportunity to lead an international team of consultants in conceiving an imaginative and user-friendly graphics and signage strategy. Identity, direction and information signage, both exterior and interior, was implemented throughout the eight stations along its route.