Celebrating Grand Prix Honours for the Perelman Performing Arts Center
Design has the power to guide, connect, and elevate experiences — especially in spaces where art, architecture, and people converge. The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) embodies that intersection, and we’re proud to share that this extraordinary project has been recognized as a Grand Winner in the Communication & Branding discipline at the 18th edition of the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN Awards. It has also received Gold certification in Environmental Design / Signage.
A Cultural Cornerstone
More than two decades in the making, the Perelman Performing Arts Center stands as a cultural beacon within the rebuilt World Trade Center site — a space dedicated to performance, connection, and renewal. Designed by REX, Design Architect with support by Page/Davis Brody Bond, Executive Architect, the building’s marble-clad cube glows with light, serving as both a symbol of resilience and a “living room” for Lower Manhattan.
Inside, the architecture is radically flexible. Three main auditoria can transform into over sixty configurations, accommodating a range of experiences from intimate performances to grand productions. This adaptability called for a wayfinding system that could transform just as fluidly, responding to an ever-changing spatial layout while maintaining clarity and continuity for guests.
Real-Life Musical Chairs
Entro’s challenge was to design a wayfinding and signage program that supported both permanence and flexibility — ensuring intuitive navigation no matter how the theater spaces were arranged. Our approach balanced architectural integration with human experience: clear, adaptable signage that shifts seamlessly as the audience paths change.
Equally important was creating a sense of welcome. From the grand staircase that rises to the glowing lobby — envisioned as an open, civic gathering space — to the interplay of warm light and elegant materials, every element invites visitors to linger and explore.
Digital Breadcrumbs
Digital displays play an integral role in guiding and informing guests. Strategically placed throughout the lobby and surrounding areas, these installations greet visitors, promote daily performances, and provide live directional prompts. They form part of a “digital breadcrumb” network, offering clarity while complementing the center’s refined atmosphere.
Ticket to Clarity
The visitor experience begins long before arrival. Working with PAC NYC, Entro ensured that wayfinding begins at the ticket itself — with each ticket clearly identifying the ideal stair, elevator, and door number for every guest’s journey.
Inside, bold illuminated signage enhances orientation throughout the vertical layout. Floor numbers are visually stacked at each elevator, meandering arrows wrap around corners to guide exploration, and large illuminated door numbers adjust dynamically depending on theater configuration.
A Collaborative Achievement
We’re honoured to have contributed to this cultural landmark — the final public cornerstone of the rebuilt World Trade Center. The Perelman Performing Arts Center represents the best of what design can achieve: beauty that informs, systems that adapt, and architecture that inspires.
As The New York Times architecture critic observed, “Lower Manhattan could have hardly asked for a more spectacular work of public architecture.”
