Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to impress the values of UKKRIN on the next generation

OFFICE BRANDING 

Problem:

The new UKKRIN digital systems centre of excellence has been designed from the floor up to drive collaboration between academia and industry for rail innovation. The purpose-built building is an architectural masterpiece, but UKKRIN was looking for a suitable way to communicate its brand values visually.

Visual Solution:

We had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to use office branding to really impress the values of UKKRIN on the next generation of railway engineers and industry partners. This work also set out the blueprint for how to brand other aspects of UKKRIN too. We were to design the reception lobby, a long corridor and also a graphic for the canteen area.

“The visual assets created for the UKRRIN building at the University of Birmingham really underpinned what the building was about and set to achieve. Will’s careful considerations and attention to detail really helped bring out the excellent end result. We asked him to create an inspiring environment demonstrating collaborative relationships and pioneering research and that’s exactly what we got.”

Karminder Johal, Communications Officer at the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education at the University of Birmingham.

Above: We used the University’s five-stage process of concept, research, development, innovation, and impact as the original idea for this artwork. Then we created these illustrations around them.

Above: For the 15m long corridor we focused on the various centres of excellence.

Above: A detail on one of the specific areas covered by this centre. All illustrations were bespoke for this project.

Above: A detail shows the zeros and ones, which represent the digital connection between the circles.

Above: For the canteen area we used a slightly different illustration style. This one is more light hearted and picks up on the three different modes of rail travel (metro, intercity, and high speed). The trains are purposefully abstract and the skyline is that from the University of Birmingham. You’ll notice in particular ‘Olde Joe’ the world famous clock tower.

Above: As with many of our installations, our team used scaffolding to access some of the harder-to-reach areas.

Above: July 2021: Andrew Stephenson MP (centre) opening the new Centre of Excellence for Digital Systems at the University of Birmingham. Image from here