Because there’s a noticeable gap between the structured environment of schooling and the informal setting of home life.

HMW selectively curate the space to provide a deeply enjoyable experience within the redesigned children’s library for both kids and their parents.

So that children and parents can engage, explore, and learn collaboratively, fostering meaningful connections and bonds while seamlessly bridging the transition from school to home.

Research & Insights

Research revealed that booking complexity, unclear wayfinding and limited parent participation reduced the overall family experience.

Auto-Ethnography Insights

Our research identified both effective design strategies and challenges that hinder family engagement at the Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter.

What's Working

✅ Age-specific spaces

✅ Family amenities

✅ Interactive learning

Opportunities ⚠️

⚠️ Event booking

⚠️ Wayfinding

⚠️ Family engagement

⚠️ Awareness

Although the library offers high-quality programs, the overall service experience makes it difficult for families to discover, access, and participate together. This revealed an opportunity to redesign the service around shared family experiences.

Problem Defining

• Event discovery is difficult. Parents struggle to find suitable family programs.

• Booking lacks clarity. Registration, schedules and age suitability are difficult to understand.

• Parents become passive participants. Most activities focus on children, limiting opportunities for shared experiences.

• The journey ends after one visit. Few touchpoints encourage families to reconnect with the library.

Service Strategy

✓ Family-first identity
✓ Digital booking
✓ Interactive wayfinding
✓ Shared activities

Family Castle succeeds by connecting the people who shape the family experience.

• Families & Library Staff — Deliver welcoming and seamless participation.

• Schools & Community Partners — Increase awareness and encourage participation.

• Sponsors & Policymakers — Support long-term growth and sustainability.

Engaging Journey Mood Map After Launch

Family Castle delivers a connected service experience across every stage of the family journey—from discovering and booking events to navigating the library, participating together, and returning through ongoing engagement.

Explorer Welcome Kit

An integrated welcome pack that combines wayfinding, identity badges, activity tracking, rewards and QR booking into one engaging family experience.

Wayfinding System

Playful wayfinding turns navigation into part of the experience, helping children build confidence while encouraging shared exploration with their families.

Digital Experience (Selected Screens)

A feasible participating process and rejoining

Designed as an extension of the in-library experience, the digital platform helps families discover activities, reserve events, and stay connected through personalised recommendations and integrated booking tools.

Service Journey

From discovering Family Castle to returning for the next adventure, every touchpoint is designed to make family experiences simple, engaging and memorable.

Results

Lessons Learnt

✓ Design for the whole family, not individual users.
✓ Small touchpoints can transform the overall experience.
✓ Staff insights are essential to service innovation.
✓ Iteration improves every stage of the service.