The Cannery
The Cannery Rosebery is a well-known Sydney lifestyle destination, bringing together a curated mix of food, retail, and wellness experiences within a unique industrial warehouse setting. While the precinct itself had a strong identity and loyal following, the existing website no longer reflected the quality, energy, or positioning of the brand.
The previous site felt dated in both design and usability. The colour palette, while distinctive, created readability issues across key areas of the site, impacting accessibility and overall user experience. Important content was difficult to scan, and the visual presentation did not align with the premium, design-led nature of the precinct.
From a structural perspective, the site lacked clarity. With multiple audiences from casual visitors to regular patrons the user journey needed to cater to exploration, discovery, and practical planning. However, navigation and calls to action were not clearly defined, making it harder for users to find information or engage meaningfully with the precinct.
The Cannery required a modern, visually engaging website that would elevate its digital presence, improve usability, and create a clear, intuitive pathway for users to explore the precinct and plan their visit.
What we did
The project began with a strategic review of the existing website, focusing on design, usability, and content structure. Our goal was to align the digital experience with the real-world atmosphere of The Cannery… a place defined by its urban character, curated offering, and sense of discovery.
We developed a fully bespoke design that embraces a clean, modern urban aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the precinct’s industrial heritage while refining it for a more polished digital experience. The updated colour palette improves contrast and readability, ensuring content is both visually engaging and easy to consume.
A key focus was the use of large-format video and high-quality imagery to bring the precinct to life online. These elements were carefully integrated throughout the site to showcase the atmosphere, venues, and experiences available, allowing users to connect with the brand before they even arrive.
We also restructured the site architecture to improve clarity and usability. Navigation was simplified, and content was organised into clear categories, making it easier for users to explore dining, retail, and wellness offerings. Calls to action were introduced and refined to guide users toward key actions, such as discovering venues, exploring events, and planning their visit.
The tech stack
The website was custom designed and custom built on WordPress, providing The Cannery with a flexible and scalable platform tailored to its needs. A bespoke theme was developed from the ground up, ensuring a lean and efficient codebase without the constraints of off-the-shelf templates. This allowed for complete control over the design and functionality, supporting the unique requirements of a multi-tenant precinct website.
The WordPress CMS provides The Cannery team with the ability to easily manage tenants, update content, and promote events, ensuring the site can evolve alongside the precinct.
Performance optimisation
Speed was important particularly given the use of large-format video and rich imagery. Careful attention was given to load times, media handling, and responsiveness, resulting in a smooth and consistent experience across desktop and mobile devices.
Bringing It All Together
The result is a refined, modern website that captures the energy and character of The Cannery while significantly improving usability and performance.
The new design delivers a strong visual identity, combining clean layouts with immersive video and imagery to create a compelling digital experience. At the same time, improved navigation and clearer calls to action ensure users can easily explore the precinct and find the information they need. With a bespoke design, optimised performance, and a flexible WordPress platform, The Cannery now has a digital presence that reflects its position as a leading Sydney lifestyle destination and provides a strong foundation for ongoing growth and engagement.
What we loved
This project gave us the opportunity to work with a brand that has a strong and distinctive identity. We particularly enjoyed refining the industrial, urban aesthetic into a clean and modern digital experience that feels both authentic and elevated. The balance between visual storytelling and usability was especially rewarding, allowing us to create a site that not only looks great, but also works seamlessly for a wide range of users.
What The Cannery loved
The Cannery team loved the premium look and feel of the new website, and how effectively it captures the atmosphere and character of the precinct. They were especially pleased with the use of video and imagery to position the brand and its offerings, as well as how the site communicates the broader story and philosophy behind The Cannery giving them a digital platform that truly reflects the experience they offer.
What did we do?
- Discovery + Strategy
- Custom Website Design
- Responsive Mobile-Ready
- CMS Customisation
- Creative Direction
- Website Development
- Wordpress Development
- Website Hosting
- Speed Optimisation
- Ongoing Maintenance + Support
