The Melbourne Studio of US design and technology company Downstream showcased its involvement in the signature technology development of PwC’s Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane offices.

A new arrival to the Australian market, Downstream has been operating under the radar for four years, quietly helping redefine spaces, and fusing design & technology to create innovative solutions impacting how we behave and experience environments.

The PwC project delivers a ground-breaking end-to-end client experience using immersive digital design and a variety of connected technologies that are integrated into striking interior architecture.

Downstream Australia General Manager, Nathan Bell, said PwC approached the Downstream team with a vision of being the world’s leading technology-enabled professional services network.

“Downstream helped identify the design and technology elements to realise this global vision, and created something previously unseen in Australia,” he said.

Examples of the digital ‘signature experiences’ include the Media Fountains, which act as smart wayfinding totems while also broadcasting event information and interactive data visualisations. In Sydney and Brisbane, the Welcome Wall acts as a future digital concierge, providing fast check-in for clients that prefer this option. And when in ambient mode the Welcome Wall comes to life as series of digital totems that playback artful, rich media content.

“Making these signature experiences an authentic part of the architecture and overall client journey was a major design consideration. We want people to experience and connect with them in a direct and meaningful way, and we always try to ensure people have an emotive response to our spaces – that benefits their visit and therefore creates value for the supporting brand”, said Nathan Bell.

“In keeping with that innovative vision, PwC wanted to go beyond ‘merely functional’ tech. They wanted to create experiences with the potential to inspire. This desire delivered The Waterfall, a floor to ceiling digital stream of insights - interactive thought leadership, ideas, people and events. The Waterfall flows through the four client collaboration floors in Sydney and Melbourne and is an epic digital and architectural statement.

“The Sydney office also features the Innovation Pool, a digital led space designed to encourage client exploration and interaction in understanding how technology supports solving important problems with both digital and physical artefacts. Each experience has a specific purpose, vision and reason for being.”

These signature experiences are further enriched through a public mobile app called ‘PwC Open’, which will launch to PwC’s clients in later this month. The app acts as a client’s environmental control and insights “briefcase”, and provides various features (personalised visit agenda, events registration, spatial map and orientation guidance) while also enabling personalisation, such as auto recognition at check in, dietary preferences and the ability to ‘take-away’ digital insights saved from the Waterfall or Innovation Pool.

Each digital experience plays a role in creating a cascading stream of digital insights that reinforces the PwC brand narrative throughout the environment.

“For PwC & their clients, this space is a destination where everyone can meet, work, collaborate and innovate in the pursuit of shared goals, but in a more authentic way,” Nathan Bell said.

“We know from experience that smart, connected spaces with plenty of optionality are integral to delivering diverse solutions. Intelligent environments foster thought leadership, so for PwC, this gives them and their clients a global competitive edge.

“When people experience, first hand, data, content, technology and responsive interiors coming together to cultivate a progressive, solution oriented workplace, it can give the user a unique perspective or help draw new connections on a problem or issue they’re trying to solve.”

Downstream is known globally for creating beautifully designed, intelligent environments that fuse advanced experience principles with the latest in technology to enhance the way people interact with spaces and each other. These environments are designed to encourage people to respond and react to information that would traditionally be represented in a less accessible and more static fashion.

Intelligent environments are not exclusive to international organisations like PwC; locally, Downstream has worked with Telstra to create an interactive flagship retail space as well as a B2B Experience Centre, booth on George Street in Sydney, while globally it has worked across a diverse cross-section of industries including stadiums, universities, galleries, museums, and other flagship retail projects.

“We aren’t limited in how we can apply these design principles and technologies. Intelligent environments mean different things for different companies and more importantly the visitor to the space” explains Bell. “In the US, where college football is a billion-dollar industry, we’ve helped teams tell the brand narrative in a way that speaks to younger audiences in a language they understand – technology. The possibilities are endless here in Australia.”

Crucial to the way these types of spaces are activated is the symbiosis between people and technology. In contrast to other technological advancements like machine automation and robotics, intelligent environments are not designed to reduce or eliminate human engagement; rather, it relies on human interaction, judgment and logical thinking to enhance the capabilities of the technology.

“The exciting thing about what Downstream does is that it takes physical environments and how we interact within them, and brings the outcome into the future. We are excited to play a role in helping align Australian brands with their counterparts in the US, Europe and Asia.”

About Downstream

Downstream uses advanced spatial, behavioural and technology design principles to create intelligent environments, maximising brand's potential and enhancing the user experience. It takes a human centred approach in marrying technology and spaces to create interactive environments that tell a story and bring spaces to life.

Visit http://www.downstream.com for more information. Please join Downstream on LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.