Heritage Hoardings For Dulwich College In London

Client: Dulwich College
Sector: Outdoor Media
Services: Install, Print

Site hoardings serve several purposes – they shield the public from the potential harm of a construction site, they create a visual barrier to hide unsightly work, and they ensure the security of the tools and equipment used on the project. But they also present a unique opportunity: a set of hoarding graphics can be used to engage with a local community, and convey a message, an image, or more, to make an installation memorable and impactful.

The hoarding graphics we printed for Dulwich College are a fantastic example. Located in Dulwich Common, London, the College decided to install a set of hoardings to tell the story of the institution’s history, designing an appealing ‘timeline’ graphic for visitors, staff, and students to enjoy.

Timeline design

Dulwich college hoardings in London

The College decided to design the graphics in a linear fashion, displaying a timeline of their history. Images of important dates and landmarks would accompany text descriptions, and a ‘date line’ would run along the length of the hoarding. The result would be a visual representation of the story of the College’s development, from its foundation to the present.

Hoarding graphics work perfectly for this kind of concept, due to their long horizontal nature. Passersby naturally walk along the length of a hoarding, and while a simple design, logo, or set of images can be effective, a timeline like this is even more impactful. As people walk its length, they can absorb each key date, getting a sense of the chronology of the College and understanding the new addition’s place in its development.

Bringing history to life

Once PressOn received the brief for the project, we developed a plan for how to most effectively print and install this unique and inspiring hoarding. We decided to print the graphics directly to aluminium composite, which would then be laminated for protection, and adhered to the plywood hoarding – this would ensure the graphics would remain in perfect condition for the duration of the project.

It’s not always possible to print directly to board, and it can be challenging to achieve a high level of accuracy and colour reproduction – this timeline in particular featured a lot of very small text, so absolute precision was essential.

Fortunately, PressOn work with some of the most advanced machinery in the industry, and using the latest addition to our print room – our HP R2000 flatbed printer – we were able to reproduce the graphics with complete clarity, and to the very highest quality.

Fitting the timeline

The most challenging part of this project, however, wasn’t the printing – it was the installation process. With some hoardings, the designs are fairly bold and simple, and the installation is a smooth and straightforward process. But with a project like this, which includes fine-print text and thin lines which need to marry up perfectly, installing the boards can be tricky.

The printed and laminated panels were screwed directly onto the plywood base of the hoarding, and had to be aligned perfectly to preserve the integrity of the designs. Fortunately, the expertise of PressOn’s installers coupled with the exceptional print detail of the R2000 meant that despite the challenge, the project was executed seamlessly.

Timeline of the timeline

Dulwich got in touch with PressOn in January of 2019, and after a liaison period, the graphics for the hoarding were finalised a couple of months later. PressOn had just two weeks to produce and install the graphics from the point at which we received the artwork, but we’re used to even tighter turnaround times than this and our team executed the project seamlessly.

A new era for Dulwich College

This hoarding is a brilliant example of how innovative graphic design can be used to transform an exterior space, and we’re very pleased to have worked alongside the College.

Fortunately, the feeling is mutual, with the College’s Director of Communications, Jane Scott, stating:

“What a pleasure it is to see the Heritage wall. The quality of reproduction and installation is excellent – it looks fabulous. Many thanks indeed.”

Want to know more? Get in touch

PressOn produce all kinds of hoarding graphics – our expert project managers work closely with all our clients to help them find the perfect solution for their individual requirements.

For more information about our hoarding graphics, or for a free quote for your own project, simply get in touch on our contact us page.

 

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