University Signage for UCL’s Historic Wilkins Building
Renowned for its academic excellence, University College London (UCL) chose Signbox to revitalise the university signage. The refresh took place at its prestigious Wilkins Building, located in the heart of fashionable Bloomsbury.
A Modern Signage System for a Historic Setting
UCL needed to phase out its outdated ‘Slatz’ sign system and introduce a more modern, sleek solution. Using its Exor accredited status, Signbox successfully tendered for the project. Signbox knew that best value, compliance, and speed of delivery were critical.
Neil Devery, Business Development Manager at Signbox, explained:
“The main areas of expertise I wanted to highlight were our excellent project management skills and our ability to deliver quality products on time and within budget.”
Delivering Best Value in University Signage
Every part of the specification was carefully considered, including the removal of UCL’s old signage and making good the affected areas. Best value for money and superior quality were the two key factors that secured the project for Signbox.
To suit the Grade I listed architecture of the Wilkins Building, the Modular Sign System (MSS) was selected. This elegant, robust, and flexible solution provided an appropriate and sympathetic update to the existing environment.
A Strategic Approach to University Wayfinding
Placemarque, responsible for the detailed wayfinding strategy, artwork design, and consents for the historic interior, explained the importance of developing a new university signage system:
“Existing internal wayfinding signage had developed piecemeal over time. This created a mixture of signage types and inconsistent information delivery,” said Sue Manley of Placemarque.
“The project intention was to create a new system with classic styling and clear, consistent graphics. The MSS system was chosen for its simplicity and ability to work in both historic and modern environments.”
Precision Manufacturing for Historic Interiors
A total of 110 screen-printed directories with multiple panels were produced, incorporating location maps and key plans digitally printed to a high standard. To complement the historic setting, Signbox applied a specialist paint finish to the MSS system.
Using techniques developed specifically for this project, the lightweight, extruded aluminium profiles were finished with a natural stone effect.
>“We chose a Nextel paint finish to provide a matt yet sophisticated backdrop to the simple legend graphics and colouring,” said Sue Manley.
“We were very pleased with the attentive and quality service provided by Signbox to manufacture and install the signs.”
A Successful University Signage Project
Signbox manufactured and installed all 110 signs to a set programme, ensuring minimal disruption to UCL’s operations. The final result complemented the Wilkins Building’s historic architecture beautifully and provided a signage system suitable for both traditional and contemporary university spaces.
Rosemary Clements from UCL Design Services commented:
“The installed signage has generated much favourable comment from university staff, students, and visitors, not only for its superb design and quality but also for its effectiveness as a wayfinding tool.”
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