Woodhead has completed a $20 million refurbishment of The Smithfield Centre in Cairns, encompassing a comprehensive redesign of the existing 1980s built shopping centre.
The upgrade of the retail centre creates a contemporary ‘lifestyle’ shopping experience that reflects the tropical location and local community. The client’s vision was to rejuvenated Smithfield shopping centre offering a vibrant and dynamic retail environment and a meeting place for the local community. This included both revitalising the centre’s brand image as well as enhancing the current retail offer.
The Fresh Food precinct features high outwardly pitching roof planes, promoting a modern, spacious, light and airy environment. Sealed concrete floor finishes in the public areas combine with timber panelled roof planes and large expanses of natural light to create a feeling of organic freshness.
The centre wraps around an existing natural waterway on the site. Preserving the creek through the use of a raised deck over the waterway is a key feature which also solves the boundary and expansion issues in refurbishing the centre.
The Village Green with its combination of tree canopies, shaded awnings and tropical breezes provide shoppers with a soothing haven to meet and relax. Muted earthy colours and materials encapsulate the spirit and style of the northern beaches.
The designed response fits perfectly with the client’s brief to embrace the Centre’s natural surrounds while creating greater retail variety for customers and enhance social interaction and community engagement at the Centre.
Project Team:
In conjunction with the redevelopment of the shopping centre, Woodhead’s graphics team designed a signage program which reflects the aspirations of the trade area, creates a community focal point at the northern end of Cairns and contributes to increased market share and investment return for the owner.
The revised signage and wayfinding solution rationalises traffic flows throughout and facilitates increased exposure to the smaller tenancies, as well as improving the customer’s overall experience.
