King's Cross
The Great Outdoors
During the first national lockdown, Argent asked us to create a campaign that would welcome people back to the estate when restrictions were lifted. King’s Cross – unlike other popular areas of London – has copious amounts of open space for people to explore. We took advantage of this to create the naming and visual identity for the campaign that not only communicated social distancing rules, but made being outside a joyful experience.
We approached even the most boring signage with a clear intention. To have as much fun as possible. Don’t sit here signs became silly objects you wouldn’t want to sit on; a boiled egg, a melting ice lolly or a loaded paint brush.
The hero of our wayfinding system was the arrowed feet. To help maintain social distancing rules we used the device to show how far appart two sets of feet should be. Then on top of that we explored what 2m would be in real life objects. Wine bottles, album covers and even jeans. All linking back to the retail environment they would be discovered in.
We brought back simple playground games to cover the Granary Square fountains, snakes and ladders to help direct people up and down King’s Boulevard and hop scotch on Bagley’s Walk.
Process
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Tom Eckersley (30 September 1914 – 4 August 1997) was an English poster artist and teacher of design.
Part of the ‘outsider’ generation that transformed graphic design in the UK in the midcentury era, many of Tom Eckersley’s designs remain instantly recognisable today. The graphic designer and poster artist was one of the key contributors to the explosion of visual print culture in Britain during the 20th century.
His influence on London meant his work was a perfect reference and starting point for the King’s Cross covid wayfinding and ‘The Great Outdoors’ campaign.
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British Rail poster 1962 by Tom Eckersley
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‘Cut travelling time’ – Victoria line, by Tom Eckersley, 1969 | London Transport Museum
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‘Keep Britain Tidy’ (1963) for the Central Office of Information, both designed by Tom Eckersley. Eckersley Archive, LCC
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Tom Eckersley Graphic Work Poster 1934–1983. Squires Building Foyer School of Graphic Design, Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic
