York College
With almost 200 years of educational experience, York College and University Centre is one of the region’s leading further education providers, supporting more than 7,000 students each year.
The College offers one of the widest ranges of courses in the region, from entry-level and vocational programmes through to A Levels, apprenticeships, T Levels, degree-level study and professional qualifications.
Guided by its core values of Ambition, Care, Respect and Success, York College is committed to providing a high-quality education while creating opportunities for students to develop their skills, explore their interests and prepare for successful futures.
The challenge
Having successfully delivered a range of projects for York College in the past, we were delighted to be approached to help refresh and update the graphics throughout the college.
The initial requirement was for a large collection of stand-off acrylic graphics, produced to a similar specification to previous work we had completed for the college. The project quickly grew, with the final requirement reaching 159 individual acrylic pieces, all requiring installation across various corridors and areas throughout the college.
Alongside the acrylic graphics, discussions began around a new café feature wall. Having recently completed a similar project for Barkers of Northallerton, York College was keen to explore what could be achieved through large-format graphics and feature imagery.
The project continued to develop, eventually incorporating a striking wallpaper installation within the college’s music studio, alongside theatre signage, a wellbeing wheel, check-in signage and updated fridge graphics throughout the café and shop.
The Solution
We worked closely with Charlee and the York College team throughout the project, combining creative design, large-format print and specialist installation expertise to bring a wide range of ideas to life across the college.
The 159 stand-off acrylics were produced using full-colour print to the reverse, backed with white opaque ink. This created a durable, high-quality finish while ensuring the graphics remained vibrant and stood out against the college’s walls.
With such a large number of individual pieces being installed in different locations, careful pre-production planning was essential. The acrylics were organised and sorted according to their required locations before being delivered, allowing the fitting team to work efficiently and ensuring each graphic reached the correct area of the college.
The café feature wall provided an opportunity to create something more visually impactful. Working with imagery supplied by Charlee, we developed the concept and produced the feature graphics to transform the space and create a more engaging environment for students and staff.
The music studio presented a particular challenge due to the size and complexity of the wall. Accurate measurements and careful planning were required before production, with a full-size template created for the designers to work from. This ensured that the artwork could be positioned accurately and that the finished installation fitted the space perfectly.
The project also included updated theatre signage, a wellbeing wheel, check-in graphics and new fridge signage throughout the café and shop, creating a more consistent and contemporary visual identity across the college.
The finished installations have transformed key areas of the college, creating engaging environments that students and staff can enjoy for many years to come.