What turns a destination into a place people want to stay? For many decades, Ansley Mall has quietly served the Atlanta community, but over time it became a quick stop rather than a destination

worth exploring. 

 

Working as a multidisciplinary team, we redesigned Ansley Mall’s wayfinding and placemaking system while introducing interactive experiences that encourage visitors to slow down, explore, and connect with the space. 

 

The mall’s inconsistent identity and limited signage encouraged habitual movement rather than exploration. Through interviews, visual audits, and observational research, visitors rarely go beyond the stores they intended to visit, leaving many opportunities for discovery and community underutilized throughout the site. 

 

We imagined Ansley Mall as a place that welcomes visitors the way a treehouse welcomes friends, a place built for gathering rather than just passing through. This belief became the foundation of our concept centered on community, curiosity, and shared experiences. Every design decision afterward was guided by the tone words of cultivation, community, and liveliness. 

 

Within this project, my role was focused on translating the Treehouse concept into a cohesive visitor experience. Visitors are welcomed by leaf-shaped umbrellas on the Beltline entrance and a refreshed dark oak monolith on Piedmont Avenue. Entrances are the most important part of any experience as they set the tone for the rest of the visit. Upon arrival, to further promote the liveliness of the mall, a hidden treasure was added to the mall. The golden thrasher scavenger hunt rewards curiosity. When seasons change, so do the positions of the thrashers, keeping the hunt for the golden thrasher fresh. At the end of the hunt, a QR code is revealed on the back of the bird. Scan it and visitors will be able to send a wish to the digital kiosk. 

 

“For those who choose to look closer.” 

 

The public digital kiosk then becomes a local tradition for those within the community to participate in and view the wishes of others. While individually they can be seen as a single moment, together, they create a collection of moments that people will remember.

 

What originally began as a curiosity for wayfinding turned into a passion for environmental graphic design. It introduced me to the concept of a sense of place which I believe is an integral part for any wayfinding project. In a conversation I once had, I said that “I like the little things that make up people.” In reflecting on this project, I believe a sense of place is no different. It is the collection of personal moments that make up the essence of a place, something that can be shared with others but never experienced in the same way.