Announcing the FX Awards 2019 Winners!
Graphics: Signage and Wayfinding
Winner: Bayswater College by Tigg + Coll Architects and Paintshop Studio
Image Credit: Peter Landers
Sponsored by FX Talks 2020
Tigg + Coll Architects completed the reorganisation and extensive refurbishment of Bayswater College, a digital marketing and English language school based in west London. Bayswater College had recently rebranded and was seeking to extend this brand to the school’s existing 1950s office building that was in need of rejuvenation.
Working to a very tight budget the renovation sought to provide high-quality teaching and social spaces for students, bring the building fabric and services up to modern standards, and enrich the original features of the building. The client aspired to move away from a straightforward educational feel and take a lead from co-working spaces, to invigorate the building as a series of interlocking collaborative working and social spaces to accommodate the variety of students at the college.
A simple entrance lobby, revitalised with a series of graphics relating back to Bayswater College’s branding colours and mid-century style pendant lights, welcomes visitors. The main staircase then provides the main focal point to the building and visually connects to each of the floors. Ascending the staircase reveals different strata of muted bright colours based on variations of the college’s brand colours, which transition as you move up the building. These strata define the use of colour throughout the building, with each floor utilising a pair of complementary colours, which is then accented with graphic signage at key points. At the centre of each floor the existing layout has been reworked to create new communal spaces, each defined by the floor’s colours and particular use.
The judges said:
‘The injection of colour and playful design of the installations is a great example of the positive effect of interiors graphics’
Finalists & judges' comments
Grosvenor House Sheffield by AXIS Architecture
‘Great, fun solution.’
KWG Cohesion Co-working Space by GWP Architects
‘Fantastic colours integrated into an appealing layout for a shared work space’
Spin Master by iN STUDIO
‘A huge array of different graphic applications in this entry – and all creatively implemented. Oh, and what a staircase!’
‘Powerful graphics for a powerful brand. The adaptation to the architecture is commendable’
Guildhouse by Rapt studio
‘Simple and ingeniously adapted to communicate the brand. Verging on classic. I love this!’
McDonald’s HQ by Studio O+A
‘A creative and of a variety of different graphic techniques’
