PROJECT OVERVIEW
I designed a wayfinding system for RMIT’s New Academic Street (NAS), starting from the Swanston Street escalators at Building 8 and guiding people through Buildings 10, 12, and 14. NAS is the main walkway of RMIT’s City Campus, connecting key facilities like the library, RMIT Connect, and student services.
The goal of this project was to create a clearer, more engaging wayfinding experience that reflects NAS’s creative, energetic identity and helps new students and visitors feel confident and excited as they move through the space.
Project type: Wayfinding
Project duration: Aug 2025 to Oct 2025
Tools used:
 Figma, Photoshop
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RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
I explored NAS’s history, environment, current design system and architecture, and conducted multiple site visits to understand how the existing signage works and observe how people navigate the space. These findings revealed several gaps and opportunities for improvement.
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DESIGN SYSTEM
Logo
The NAS logo is inspired by the geometric forms and diagonal lines found throughout the campus. It reflects movement, transition, and connection, which are key experiences along the NAS walkway. The identity helps give NAS a stronger visual presence within RMIT’s broader design system while still feeling creative and energetic.
Typography
Frutiger and Museo are the main typefaces used in signage across the RMIT campus. For NAS, I’ve added Apotek to reflect its creative and energetic vibe, while still keeping consistency with the broader RMIT system. Apotek’s bold and geometric style connects with NAS’s architectural forms and makes the signage feel more distinctive.
Colour Palette
This palette was created for NAS to give it its own visual identity. The colours are vibrant and playful, reflecting the architecture and lively feel of the space. The architecture inspired each colour, and each colour represents a building, making it easier to navigate intuitively and creating a connected, engaging experience.
Building Wall Signage
One of the issues in the current system is the lack of clear visual cues, which makes it difficult for users to know which building they are in. To address this, I designed colour-coded wall signage placed at each building along the NAS walkway. These signs help users quickly identify their location and make it easier to distinguish one building from another.
Floor Graphics
Floor graphics are placed at the entrance of Building 8 so that users see them as soon as they step inside. These decals guide people toward each building using both colour and pattern. The colours help most users navigate quickly, while the patterns improve accessibility for those with colour-vision impairments.
Directional Sign
I updated the directional sign near the escalator to make it clearer and more intuitive. Destinations are now grouped by floor (Levels 4 and 5), helping users quickly orient themselves and reducing cognitive load. The black-and-white palette keeps the sign readable, makes it stand out, and avoids clashing with the building’s wall signage.
Current
Proposed
Site map
The existing site map is minimal and can be difficult for first-time visitors to navigate. It lacks colour and visual hierarchy, which makes the layout feel blended and disorienting. In my redesign, I introduced distinct colours for each building to improve spatial orientation and make navigation more intuitive. The updated design also feels more engaging and inviting for users.
Current
Proposed
Proposed
Totem
A totem is placed at the entrance of Building 8 to signal arrival at NAS. It displays the site map and helps guide users as they begin exploring the space. The totem’s angular form reflects the architectural style of NAS, creating a strong visual connection to the building.
Schematic Diagram
Takeaways
One of the main challenges was creating a design system for NAS while working within RMIT’s existing guidelines. I wanted NAS to have its own identity that felt creative and engaging, while still being easy for users to navigate. Balancing creativity with functionality was important because the signage needs to actually help people find their way. I focused on designs that were clear, visually distinctive, and connected to the campus environment. I also realised that wayfinding is about more than just signs. It requires understanding the history, architecture, and how people actually move through the space. Given more time, I would do deeper research, test more mockups with users, and refine the system to make it even more cohesive.