Frost Collective has been recognised at the 2026 Australian Good Design Awards for its work on the Sydney Children’s Hospital, taking home a Best-in-Class award in the Communication Design category for its Placemaking and Environmental Graphics project.

The project rethinks the way families, patients and visitors navigate a complex 12 storey healthcare environment, replacing traditional reliance on numbers and letters with a more engaging approach inspired by nature, storytelling and local culture.

Rather than simply directing people from one destination to another, Frost Collective has created an environment designed to make the hospital feel more welcoming, intuitive and less intimidating, particularly for children and their families.

The hospital is organised around three native Australian habitats: Sand Dunes, Sea Cliffs and Wetlands. Each level features a hero animal to help visitors find their way, with the characters carefully selected to reflect the departments they represent.

An octopus, for example, guides visitors to the Neuroscience Centre, its distributed intelligence across eight tentacles providing a fitting connection to the department. Meanwhile, a humpback whale watches over the Adolescent Inpatient Unit.

There is also plenty to discover along the way. Patients from the Sydney Children's Hospital School were involved in shaping the artwork, writing stories about what their chosen animals might see, smell and explore. Their ideas have been brought to life throughout the hospital, including a Red Shore Crab waving a shell in the air.

Smaller details, such as a tawny frogmouth tucked into a stringybark tree, offer moments of discovery and distraction for children during what can often be difficult visits. Local First Nations language has also been incorporated at key destinations, adding another layer of cultural connection to the environment.

For Brenda Schofield, Head of Environments at Frost Collective, the project was about much more than wayfinding.

“Every decision, from the illustration to the hierarchy and placement of each message, was made to help the people moving through these spaces.” 

Frost Collective developed the wayfinding strategy, concept design and documentation for the signage and environmental graphics. The team also worked closely with the wider project team throughout fabrication and installation, reviewing shop drawings, prototypes and installation quality in collaboration with John Holland Group.

Central Signs was responsible for the fabrication and installation of the environmental graphics and sky signage, while AW Signs handled the internal signage.

Given the healthcare setting, material selection and performance were important considerations. Rather than focusing on antimicrobial properties, the priority was ensuring surfaces could be easily cleaned and maintained.

Wall finishes needed to be smooth, washable and non-porous, with vinyl applied wall to wall in areas featuring graphics to minimise exposed edges. ImagePerfect 2930 media and Avery MP2611 with Avery DOL 2200 face laminate were used across the project.

Colour was another significant challenge. The palette needed to complement the architectural finishes while establishing the visual identity of the three habitat zones and meeting the contrast requirements for healthcare signage. 

Achieving consistent colour across different materials and finishes, particularly with production shared between two signage contractors, required considerable coordination.

“Frost and both contractors worked through several rounds of colour sheet tests, matching and prototypes to make sure colours were as designed across every surface, and could be reliably reproduced for any future updates,” says Brenda.

Getting this right early in the process helped avoid unexpected issues during production and ensured the finished result remained consistent throughout the hospital.

The project represents several years of design development, collaboration with the client and project team, and the creation of artwork across several thousand square metres of wall graphics.

For the Frost Collective team, the award is a welcome acknowledgement of that commitment and the collaborative effort behind the finished project.

“After working on the project for a number of years, it is incredibly rewarding to see it come to fruition and have validation from our peers that it is a successful outcome,” says Brenda. “We are incredibly proud and grateful for our amazing project team who all contributed to this success.”

The Australian Good Design Awards jury also recognised the project's ability to bring together wayfinding, play, culture and nature in a meaningful way. In its assessment, the jury praised the comprehensive graphics system for transforming a complex paediatric healthcare environment into a welcoming and emotionally engaging space. It particularly highlighted the use of native fauna characters and habitat-based zones to help reduce anxiety, as well as the thoughtful consideration given to children's sightlines and the symbolic relationship between animals and hospital departments. 

Ultimately, the recognition highlights how considered environmental graphics can do more than solve a practical navigation problem. In a children's hospital, they can help create a sense of familiarity, encourage exploration and bring moments of joy into an otherwise challenging experience.

For more information about Frost Collective, please call T: +61 2 8318 9800 or visit www.frostcollective.com.au