President’s Design Award 2015

Design of the Year

The Challenge

After a 7-year long closure, the team behind library@orchard sought to create a next-generation library that integrates new experiences for users. Re-creating the library as a new kind of space that has multiple roles and reflects the needs of today’s media-astute users was challenging and required new thinking.

Concieved as a creative space that aimed to make design accessible, it sought to reach beyond the creative community to engage the public in the possibilities of design at all levels.

The Insight

Design as a discipline is often not well understood and may be seen as the remit of only those in the creative industry. Engaging a larger community in design implies the need to make design more engaging, understandable and accessible.

To express the brand’s imperative, DIA captured the its essence in the tagline ‘Design is for Everyone’, a theme that is central to the development of the brand.

This was brought to life through the idea of a ‘Wonderland’ – which frames library@orchard as a ‘rabbit hole’, where surprises abound at every corner. Using a distinctive visual and verbal language, it challenges the way we look at and see everyday things through reflection and juxtaposition.

The wayfinding and communication takes on a distinctive language that is expressed through 3D, graphic and digital media. This positions the library as a companion, using subtle humour and thought provoking visuals to engage and stimulate the user.

The Impact

The solution demonstrates that for select library concepts like library@orchard, a well-thought out brand strategy can truly augment the intended identity and desired experience.

A search of #orchardpl on various social media sites reveals the multitude of content showcasing the different elements of the space, and that is a clear testament to the interest and active engagement that users – both creatives and in the general community – have with the library.