The In-Toorak-Tive Garden
2024
Digital billboard
A space that reconnects the Toorak community with nature through digital placemaking. The digital component of this space is a double-sided interactive board. Side A (as shown) allows for virtual customisation of a chosen vegetable pot.
Team: Compass Rose
Project Overview
An interactive solution that rebuilds Toorak Village into an inviting and community-centred space for local families.
The design consists of two components for the full experience:
(1) a double-sided digital interactive billboard and (2) a live on-site workshop
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User testing (interviews, usability tests)
UI for the ‘Action Hub’ (Side A)
Prototype for the virtual customisation screen
Report on final solution
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Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Stock
Project Objectives
Attract more visitors to Toorak Village
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Make Toorak Village a more accommodating place for parents & families
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Create a space where the community can gather together
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Target Users
Parents with school-age children who desire a safe space for their children to play and learn.
User Aims:
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Enjoy family activities together with their children
Entertain their children
A space to connect with themselves and other parents
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Research
INITIAL VISIT: OBSERVATION
An on-site visit was conducted to assess the space and its surroundings in order to develop an appropriate and effective solution.
Lack of ‘third spaces’ in Toorak, including public seatings. Seatings are mainly at restaurants where dining in is required in order to use the seats.
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The City of Stonnington council expressed the need for family-friendly spaces, especially targeted towards youth. The initial visit highlighted that there was no youth-friendly spaces available.
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Major supermarkets (Woolworths and Coles) are accountable for most foot traffic in Toorak Village
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Interviews were organised to discover whether interests in digital installations or outdoor activities was greater. Seven participants were involved in the interview, and are regular visitors to Toorak Village - this includes staffs/shop owners and locals.
USER INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEW SAMPLE QUESTIONS
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What changes would you like to see happening in Toorak village?
What spots do you like to visit in Toorak Village?
Would you be keen in participating in community events happening in Toorak Village?
FINDINGS
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44%
interested in outdoor activities
33%
interested in digital installations
22%
were disinterested in any events
86%
had no spots to recommend that are worth visiting at Toorak Village
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Common User Needs
Public seatings without having to dine in at restuarants/cafes
A community space for social interactions
Exciting events in Toorak Village
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PERSONA
Two personas were developed from the findings.
SARAH, MOTHER OF TWO
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MIKE, SINGLE FATHER
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USER INTERACTION FLOW
STORYBOARD
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SCENARIO
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Sarah, a freelance marketing manager and mother of two lively kids, often feels the tug-of-war between her career and family life, she sometimes grapples with the pressure of balancing her career and her children’s needs. Each morning, she enjoys the flexibility her job provides, allowing her to attend school drop-offs, but as the day unfolds, the pressure mounts.
Living in Toorak Village, she finds it challenging to discover engaging activities that blend fun and education, leaving her worried about her children’s social development and creativity. In her quest to provide them with rich experiences, she dreams of weekends filled with art workshops, nature explorations, and hands-on projects that also instill sustainable habits. Juggling client calls and the constant need for stimulation for her kids, Sarah longs for a balance that allows her to nurture both her career and her children's growth.
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LOW FIDELITY PROTOTYPES
Low fidelity prototypes were developed based on the user interaction flow
LEGO PROTOTYPE
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1) Street-level screen interaction and garden bench
2) Testing the space between each component and experimenting different layout options: garden, bench, and digital billboard
3) Experiment of another layout option
4) Experiment of another layout option
ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSIVITY CONSIDERATIONS
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In order to create a comfortable and engaging environment for our potential users, thoughtful considerations in accessibility and inclusivity are to be reflected in all aspects of the final design.
This could include;
Physical, visual and cognitive requirements in the space setup, tools used or the digital design
PHYSICAL: SPACE
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The chosen location should have:
ramps for easy wheelchair or pram access.
ensure participants (users, associates and observers) with mobility needs are able to directly or indirectly partake in the activities — physical presence or active involvement
the addition of public benches in the activation site
address the lack of public seatings in Toorak Village (research findings)
create a relaxing and inviting atmosphere — encourage engagement and interactions
PHYSICAL: TOOLS USED
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The main component of the design, the digital billboard stand, should have:
an appropriate physical size (height) that is accessible for everyone
especially children and those on wheelchairs
screens that considered appropriate placements of interactive elements (based on the board size)
eg. buttons
VISUAL/COGNITIVE - DIGITAL DESIGN
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The screens of the digital billboard stand, should have:
bright colours and playful animations
captivate and engage children in the fun and learning experience
high colour contrast to each visible element
accessible for those with visual impairments
integration of instructions (eg. touch gestures) and universal icons
facilitate a cognitive experience — user does not need to comprehend their next step to navigate around
enhances the inclusivity of the design, catering to users of all comprehension abilities.
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Final Design
CHOSEN SPACE
The chosen location is an outdoor shared space between TOK H mall and Coles. While most key insights were derived from the research on TOK H mall, the physical space available was insufficient to accomodate the full activation experience (vegetable station and digital billboard).
Location: Courtyard outside COLES
This courtyard was carefully decided based on its advantages:
Located in an existing carpark area which can help boost traffic or exposure of the event through word of mouth or social media
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Outdoor environment is more appropriate for growing vegetables
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Already have ramp access to address accessibility
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Near Coles to allow easy management of the vegetable station
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There are many businesses/shops surrounding this courtyard, which could increase foot traffic for them
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SOLUTION
The design consists of two components for the full experience:
COMPONENT 1: DIGITAL INTERACTIVE BOARD
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SIDE A: ACTION HUB SCREEN
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Option 1:
Virtually customise your pot
Features: name / paint / sticker!
Option 2:
Virtually cook a recipe with your chosen veggie!
SIDE B: MOTION TRACKING SCREEN
Instruction:
Participants stand on either 3 of the designated dots in front of the motion screen
Move arms to grow the vegetables
Purpose:
Attract passer-bys to the space
Garner interest in portable garden
COMPONENT 2: LIVE ON-SITE WORKSHOP
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After completing the virtual pot customisation option on the ‘Action hub screen’, participant will then be able to attend the live pot customisation workshop:
Portable vegetable station (garden beds and pots) prepared next to the digital board
Onsite staff to host the workshop.
Workshop session available:
Sundays from 10am-12pm, 3pm -5pm (two sessions every week)
During the workshop, participants will:
Receive a free pot to customise after exploring the action hub
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Start growing their own vegetable after customising their pot!
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At the end of the workshop session time:
Staff selects the best customised pot.
Selected pot owner wins a voucher! (vouchers could include cafes/restaurants, bookshop, pet stock to promote local businesses etc.)
SECURITY: Vegetable Station
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A safety plan was devised to address the security issue of the vegetable station being exposed to any form of harm during unstaffed hours. The result of this plan also required adding wheels to the garden beds in order for it to be easily portable
The plan will involve the following actions for after staffed hours:
Garden gets moved into Coles after the final session
A designated section in Coles: ‘vegetable station’
Most importantly, an agreement is to be formed between Coles and the council to arrange this.
Wheels under the garden bed
Vegetable station
Participant’s pots are stored in this station
Note: the photos above were taken at COLES Chadstone for the purpose of this project
3D MOCKUP OF SPACE
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Side A: Action Hub Screen
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Side B: Motion Tracking Screen
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Portable community garden beds
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On-site staff (in orange) runs the workshop and wheels the garden into COLES at night
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OUTCOME
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The ‘In-Toorak-tive Garden’ project aims to create an engaging and inviting space for the Toorak community, specifically parents and children. It is a blend of digital and physical interactions to immerse participants in a unique gardening and cooking experience.
The Compass Rose team hopes to revitalise the grey and concrete Coles carpark through creative installations, bringing new potential for social interactions and community rapport.