The challenge

Major public realm improvements created by Eastbourne Borough Council requested a new pedestrian signage and wayfinding system to help visitors engage with the new-look town centre.

Historically, Eastbourne has been a challenging place to navigate, with counterintuitive topography that requires visitors to walk uphill to reach the seafront.

What we did

We used public and stakeholder consultations to understand the barriers to connectivity and what was needed to drive footfall to other parts of the town, encourage exploration, and ensure visitors see more of what it has to offer.

In response to the consultation exercise, we developed a full wayfinding masterplan for the town, setting out a pedestrian route network, and a hierarchy and sequencing of directional information.

Why it works

We developed a family of directional signs, including internally illuminated map signs, totems, and fingerposts. It will be installed in stages as the town’s public realm is upgraded.