Scarborough Town Centre
OXFORD PROPERTIES, TORONTO
Scarborough Town Centre (STC) is a prominent shopping and lifestyle hub in Toronto’s Scarborough district. With a diverse range of stores, dining options, and entertainment venues, it offers an engaging experience for both shopping and leisure. Its central location and accessibility contribute to its popularity among local residents and visitors, shaping the area’s retail and cultural scene. A comprehensive intensification plan will see high-rise residential and office, along with a key transit hub introduced to the property.
KDA’s strategy for STC’s wayfinding master plan aimed to establish a uniform hierarchical framework for the entire property. This approach not only paved the way for future expansion and development but also efficiently addressed the current requirements of the Centre. KDA seamlessly integrated elements such as branding, zone and level names, colour-coding, typography, and iconography. Importantly, the plan focused on enhancing STC’s overall presence by incorporating property placemaking and welcoming gateways.
The sign language and graphic patterns created by KDA blend with the STC brand, harmonizing the property’s appearance at every entrance. Inside, the signage incorporates the use of elevated materials and custom graphics, while the implementation of zone letters aligned with floor levels contributes to a unified shopping experience and enhanced wayfinding process.
A Symbolic Brand Pattern
KDA provided a platform for creative expression by introducing a brand pattern of triangles that strategically embrace and complement the use of geometric forms currently used in other Oxford shopping centres.
The symbolic meaning of the triangle is originally routed in the architectural design of the Centre by the triangular form pointing towards City Centre. KDA has re-interpreted this three-point symbol as a visual means to communicate the tiered, mixed-use nature of STC’s overall master plan.
Walk of fame
The Walk of Fame stands out as a prominent element in the Centre’s design. This enduring and artistic exhibit presents yearly honorees on a digital screen, accompanied by an array of acknowledgments seamlessly incorporated into the ground. This space frequently acts as a setting for photos shared on social media.
Fashion & Food Intertwined
TASTE MRKT, the logo and name artfully created by KDA for the Centre’s food hall, intertwines fashion and culinary essence. The word ‘Taste’ cleverly functions as a double entendre, symbolizing both the delight of fashion and the pleasure of culinary experience. The abbreviation of ‘MRKT’ adds a modern visual element to the concept while still communicating the idea of a market offering diverse cuisines within a single hall.
Flowers offer Inspiration
Drawing inspiration from flowers seen in both fashion and culinary art, the logo’s intricacies reflect these influences. To enhance the destination’s overall theme, the TASTE MRKT concept lends itself to creative extensions, including fashion-inspired applications like dishware, aprons, murals, napkins, and three-dimensional signage, adding to a memorable and immersive experience.
Numeric Zone Designations
In order to assist customers in arriving and departing STC, KDA devised a colour-coded system of numeric zone designations for wayfinding signage to provide orientation to and from parking areas, entrances and floor levels.
Parking Guidance System
As one of Toronto’s busiest shopping centres, KDA was committed to providing customers with a seamless and stress-free parking experience. To achieve this, KDA implemented a signage program that incorporated guidance technology, effectively leading customers to available parking spaces allowing more time to enjoy STC.
