FOLKESTONE ACADEMY

Project

Aerial display system

Client brief

Folkestone Academy school, built in 2007 designed by Fosters and Partners stands as a spectacular example of modern Architecture. FbyD were invited by the Headteacher to assist the school in promoting ‘Good Reads’ for the Literacy Department on a school wide basis. The solution was to be prominent but importantly work as part of the interior architecture and not against it.

Our solution

The project required a three-part solution; fixture arrangements, graphic design followed by installation.

Fixture arrangement – We offered several graphic fixture solutions initially honing on the nine beautiful large cedar clad ‘pods’ dominating the main corridor scaling three floors; these initially presented as being a perfect canvas for displaying engaging, eye-catching graphics.

However, once we began to investigate this option, it soon became clear anything mounted to the pod walls would only interrupt the vertical flow of lines of the cedar cladding which was an important architectural feature. So, the solution had to work independently off any surface and the building design offered the opportunity to use a high vertical space.

Our proposal would take the form of large circular fixtures. A series of tension wires would suspend up to three fixtures vertically enabling visibility from three open balconies. When installation was complete a total of 15 were visible spanning the full length of the building.

Graphics – From the list of ‘Good Reads’, a simple graphic consisting of quotation, book title and illustration were prepared and printed on two sides on a solid colour tension fabric to co-ordinate with each of the ‘floor colours’ specified.

Installation – Following extensive structural calculations, risk assessments and a carefully timed programme where the discs were installed during the summer holiday period. To enable easy maintenance and change-out the printed substrate uses a simple neat zip system where no tools are necessary, reducing any on-site access time.

Date

2016

FbyD requirements

Display, design and installation