Identity for Surfers Paradise Esplanade Pedestrianisation

Background

The City of Gold Coast has long-term plans to pedestrianisation a 250-metre section of The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise. The pedestrianisation has strong public support but the City identified the value in testing a permanent road closure through a pop-up trial. As well as creating a vibrant, people-oriented activation in the heart of Surfer, the trial will allow testing of the impact on traffic flow and visitation and time spent in the area. The trial will provide another opportunity to have their say on the pedestrianisation of this significant part of the Gold Coast. 

Opportunity for Futures

Reshaping a section of the Surfers Paradise Esplanade into a pedestrian-first experience has unlocked new energy, vibrancy and connection along the foreshore. The project highlights the opportunities for local people, businesses and visitors if a permanent pedestrianisation is implemented.

Approach

This project was a collaboration with City of Gold Coast, led by project leads Fourfold. Together with Fourfold and A Social Purpose, Relative Creative contributed to early concepting workshops with key stakeholders, including local businesses and event operators. Our approach included early engagement in stakeholder workshops and concept development. This guided our approach to developing the brand and identity for the site which needed to capture the varied uses of this area of Surfers Paradise, its past, present and future as a place of fun and play.

Once the identity for the site was finalised we rolled this out (literally, we painted the street) as a series of unique and playful environmental graphics. The identity established five zones within the precinct, each with its own specific focus. This guided the event design team as programming programming for the pop-up was developed and has allowed different parts of the site to have their own unique look and feel, while remaining connected to the broader pedestrianisation.