Overview
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), located in Melbourne’s Federation Square, is Australia’s premier museum dedicated to screen culture. ACMI embarked on a major redevelopment to better connect with its audience, attracting new visitors and encouraging repeat visits.
Büro North, in collaboration with architects BKK and exhibition designers Second Story, was tasked with reimagining the museum space. Our goal was to create an environment that encourages exploration and engagement through digital integration and flexible design.
Starting with the masterplan, we contributed to the early stage spatial planning strategy to reconnect Federation Square’s laneways with the CBD, enhancing movement through ACMI’s multi-level space. The strategy features a new, welcoming stairway from Flinders Street, improving flow and sight-lines into major exhibition areas.
Central to our approach was integrating digital content seamlessly into the wayfinding system. We designed cantilevered forms from screen dimensions, allowing static and motion content to co-exist. This created a cohesive visual language that complemented ACMI’s dynamic environment. The wayfinding system includes custom pictograms, digital screens and information graphics, providing cues without overwhelming the space. This integration made ACMI feel like an indoor extension of the city, inviting visitors to wander, explore, and learn.
By embedding digital elements and prioritising flexibility, we have ensured that ACMI’s space can adapt to evolving exhibitions and technologies, enhancing the visitor experience and solidifying ACMI’s role in celebrating screen culture.
“BKK and Büro North came together to form a design partnership for the ACMI Renewal Project. Working closely together from the competition phase, we collectively ensured that architecture, user experience and wayfinding were intertwined to create a legible visitor experience across multiple layers and levels"
Tim Black
