From the Nominator

"In January 2021, Bow Valley College launched a new brand, so we needed to rebrand the interior. We wanted to bring a more contemporary energy into the space that felt more on-brand and aligned with what we wanted people to experience at the College when they walked through the space. 

It wasn’t possible to paint the walls and install new carpets in the branded colours for two reasons: financial limitations; and more importantly, the complexity of the project. It was too grandiose to take on at the time. We had other construction projects going on simultaneously, so we wouldn’t have had the resources to paint the walls and install new carpets. 

We came up with the solution of branding the interior of the College in stages and started by adding our branded elements to the glass walls and windows throughout campus, as well as branded rugs to the entrances of our two downtown campuses. The branded elements we included on these assets were our icons that make up our logo, which each have a meaning. Examples of where they appear include on windows in student lounges and in the cafeteria, and on the library’s glass wall. We decided on this approach because it was the simplest to execute. The icons were added to areas with neutral design features, so they didn’t clash with any existing features. We used a large format print and sign shop as a vendor for the window and glass icons."

From the Judges

The Bow Valley College creative team clearly thought about their audiences when they were producing this highly effective interior rebranding. Using elements of the school’s logo helps to bring the branding into the space in a creative and fun manner. This is a modern, playful approach that brings brand cohesiveness into their interiors creating an immediate sense of belonging. What a great example of elevating your community on a smaller budget!