The brands of tomorrow
Nestled along the river Thames, London’s South Bank is an area of incredible history, architecture, culture and regeneration. Hitherto a neglected district, South Bank’s cultural roots were sown in the 1951 Festival of Britain. It’s now home to some of the world’s top cultural experiences such as The National Theatre, South Bank Centre and London Eye.
The worldwide reputation it has built attracts diverse user groups from across the globe. Understanding the nuances and complexities of their varying needs was integral to our brief.
We designed a wayfinding system for the South Bank, intended to help people effortlessly navigate the area, giving physical expression to its wider identity.
Through a series of audits and interviews with diverse user groups, we helped define a unifying system of navigation that the South Bank wanted to embrace, in ‘branding’ the area.
The design pays homage to the Skylon, first seen at the Festival of Britain in 1951. The new Skylon is reborn as a sleek javelin of steel. The unique elegant post forms a core part of a flexible system of fingerposts and event and information boards.
The wayfinding system not only binds the area together, but creates a connection on a very human level with the many people and venues that experience it.
The wayfinding system is seen not as an accessory but anintegral part of the brand experience, pivotal to building a cohesive language between South Bank and its audiences.
The ease and effectiveness in which the implemented wayfinding has worked so successfully, has been a significant factor in creating memorable experiences for the many visitors. Nurturing a destination with a world-class reputation.