Commercial Bay

Commercial Bay is a new world-class precinct on Auckland’s waterfront, with wayfinding by Diadem to bring every element together. Diadem designed and implemented a bespoke wayfinding solution that made it easy to navigate the most significant mixed-use precinct in New Zealand. Commercial Bay is a transformational project for Auckland, bringing together commercial, retail, high-end hospitality and public spaces. The focal point of the new urban landscape is a 39-storey office tower with bars, eateries and shops at the base, and floors occupied by anchor tenant PwC. The site owner, Precinct Properties, engaged Diadem to deliver a comprehensive suite of wayfinding and corporate rebrand projects across the site and within the PwC Tower. Ease of navigation is central to creating lasting impressions at any site. This is especially true when the area is new with diverse amenities. In designing the Commercial Bay wayfinding solution, Diadem considered the various offerings and how visitors would move through the site, from business to leisure. The design solution needed to be bespoke and beautiful and ultimately ensure ease of journey and visitation to key areas. Chevrons taken from site architecture are displayed on the glass lightboxes, while the Avante Garde gothic font brings a sense of nostalgia along with optimum legibility. Precinct drew inspiration from materials unearthed during the site’s excavation phase, including timbers, bricks and stones. The client saw purpose in these resources and envisioned them being transformed at the site. It was then up to Diadem to bring that vision to life. Diadem designed a Heritage Wall constructed from historic elements, with video projected that tells the rich Commercial Bay story. The wall engages patrons and encourages longer visitation time.