Te Kāika
The Te Kāika Wellbeing Hub is where Dunedin residents in need of help can find it. Within one location they can access an assortment of much-needed services, including: Medical Care, Dental Care, Kahu Taurima, Perinatal Maternal Mental Health, and Alcohol & Other Drug (AOD) Support.
The need for stress-free navigation
Arriving at the wellbeing hub is usually accompanied by no small amount of anxiety. Patients and visitors are there seeking assistance with their issues and can do without the burden of having to seek navigational assistance also. There’s a known link between stress levels and directional uncertainty and for those arriving at the health hub, it was critical they instantly feel taken care of and communicated to with effective wayfinding signage.
A solution for everyone
As a community hub for Māori and Pasifika, Te Kāika features bilingual signage to help create a sense of place and belonging. This helps connect visitors with the purpose of the hub, overcoming signage pitfalls whereby signs inform visitors of where they're going while simultaneously deterring them from moving toward the destinations by making them feel unwelcome.
A few steps in the shoes of the community
With various services at the Hub, the number of possible visitor journeys and permutations from taking in multiple appointments during a visit were significant. This added to the need for wayfinding signage to be bold and undeniably obvious. There was no subtlety and overelaborate styling here - just a plain and impactful bilingual family of signs, large enough to talk loudly to all visitors, and help them find their way. So the dimensions were generous and the colour scheme contrasting. The removal of any visual ambiguity was critical so visitors are left in no doubt about which way to step next.
One step closer to help
The hub wayfinding solution includes:
- Dimensional building identification
- Bilingual directional totems
- Reception and waiting area identification
- Clinic/service identification
- Accessibility and amenity identification
A big step closer to real help
The Te Kāika Wellbeing Hub takes a collective approach to serving the community, bringing together multiple agencies and providers for the benefit of the community. There’s a palpable sense of care at the hub and that extends to every facet of the building itself, including wayfinding. Now in place, visitors are able to self-navigate and enjoy as much of a stress-free journey as possible, and get the help they need when they reach their destination.
End to end.
