Mercedes Benz Arena
The Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai was built as a legacy pavilion for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and will remain a permanent destination for entertainment and sporting events. The 5 level, 18,000 seat indoor arena includes a music theatre, ice rink, exhibition hall, VIP club, luxury suits, shops, cinemas, cafes, bars and restaurants.
The circular plan of the arena posed an orientation challenge, in that there are no clear corners or changes in direction. The perimeter ‘street’ takes visitors around the building and connects three major entry points with access points to the upper levels.
The wayfinding strategy relies on clearly identifying the North, South and West entry points, coupled with a simple diagrammatic map and directory at arrival points. Distinct level numbering and level directories encourage visitors travel to the various amenities within the building.
A critical part of our strategy included managing and locating the integration of the major sponsor signage to convey the permanence and identity of the arena within its environment.
The signage incorporated messages in Mandarin and English as well as the use of international standard pictograms.
Project Team: Domenic Nastasi, Heath Pedrola, Mark Ross, Keith Sullivan
