The Catalyst, Staffordshire University
Establishing a new campus hub through dynamic and digital wayfinding
A smart and elegant wayfinding scheme that helps visitors navigate a multi-use, tech-focused university building
Students at the University of Staffordshire required a central space where they could come together, study, relax, learn, and be inspired. The Catalyst, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, aimed to meet these needs, uniting a range of spaces and functions in a vibrant, digitally enabled campus hub.
Holmes Wood created a wayfinding scheme that reflects the ethos of the building. From a series of dynamic digital directories to signs with sleek, black metal outer shells, embellished with cut aways to reveal an internally illuminated centre, suggestive of a bright digital core. Chamfer detailing, aligned to the direction of travel, provides further aid to navigation, while a monochrome palette ensures legibility. Elsewhere, binary code in the glazing manifestations house hidden messages, capturing the imagination of the academics. Overall, the scheme reinforces the vibrancy of the new building and maximises the campus experience.
Client: Staffordshire University
Architect: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
