Wellington Academy Wall Graphics
The Brief
The Wellington Academy, founded in 2009 in Wiltshire, is an 11-19 non-selective state-funded school. In 2013 a large project was commissioned to design and install a series of interior wall graphics. The brief was to make better use of the many blank walls in the common areas and corridors.
Our Designs
We proposed to give each department in the school its own visual identity, and at the same time to treat each wall as an opportunity to engage students, staff and visitors in each subject area.
We developed an extension of their existing brand guidelines to include a set of gradients and a set of department logo-lockups. We then visited each department in the building and chose the most appropriate wall or walls as the site for graphics. Each department was treated as a chance to make a specific study subject as fascinating as possible.
Some of the graphics would act as beacons, to draw people across the large central atrium to specific departments that were previously hard to find. Others would line the corridors and be rich in subject specific information upon closer inspection, so that waiting outside a classroom would become an educational experience.
All the walls contained QR codes which linked to pages on the school website that give more background information on the content of each wall.
The Client’s Response
‘One of the last things I did at Wellington Academy was to commission Shadric Toop of Sphere Design [now Toop Studio] to produce large scale graphics with embedded QR codes for walls in the new academy building. The impact was stunning.’
Andy Schofield, commissioning Principal, The Wellington Academy
Quote taken from Andy Schofield’s blog.
‘The visuals have completely transformed the appearance of the Academy. Educationally, it keeps the students’ minds alert while they are waiting for lessons.’
Mike Milner, Principal, The Wellington Academy
‘I think everybody is totally amazed. Adults, students, visitors, everybody has been really impressed with what they’ve seen.’
Sandra Richardson, Finance Director, The Wellington Academy
Related Links
Our blog article about school wall graphics: 10 things school wall graphics can do.
Project Credits
Art direction, design & illustration: Shadric Toop
Copywriting: Richard Hutt
Research & design assistance on Business, Language & History walls: Tonie Lam
