Carparks can be a real nuisiance. And thoroughly uninteresting places to boot. Confusing layouts send people around in circles, guided only by small and vague signs promising that the exit is somewhere in this direction or that. To add to the frustration, car parks are ugly places: dirty and poorly lit concrete does not a pleasurable experience make. The worst part is that generally the car park is the final experience people have upon leaving the building, and this can leave a sour taste in the mouth.

The Eureka Tower in Melbourne, Austraila employed designer Axel Peemoeller to make their parking situation a much more interesting one. Rather than pepper the environment with small directional signs, Peemoeller has used optical illusions to make the correct route present itself only when you’re in the correct place. The directions are so large you couldn’t possibly miss them or get confused and the way they magically leap out when you’re on track has the effect of reinforcing the point that parking wasn’t just an after-thought with this building. 

The signs just look like colourful decoration until you’re in a position where they become relevant to your journey through the carpark and demand a response from you rather than potentially adding to your parking confusion.

This idea not only simplifies the parking experience but makes it colorful and engaging, rather than a dull experience that can ruin the overall impression of a building and it’s design.