Competing against a record number of international entries, Populous received the top accolade by the Jury, winning the Grand Prix for the wayfinding for the O2 Arena in London.

The Sign Design Awards recognise the best in signing and wayfinding design over the last 3 years. The work produced by the graphic team of Populous was acclaimed by the judges as "coherent and elegant, superbly blending innovative graphics, lighting, product and brand integration' and "a truly worthy scheme which will enhance the experience for people using this most iconic of spaces".

The brief, covering every aspect of signing, stressed the need for the solution to be seen as though it had always been part of this very special structure. The signage for the O2 Arena successfully emphasised the way in which wayfinding and commercial signing could be brought together.

Simon Borg, head of Populous' Graphic department commented:
"Our objective was to create a visual language that integrated so well into the arena's architecture it gave impression that the signage and building are a single design solution. To achieve this, the graphics team worked closely with the architects to develop a signage system that responded to the building's organisation and its material expression".

"One of the most challenging aspects of the design process involved the integration of the brand identity for the named rights sponsors, O2. This was not just the case of applying the existing documented brand guidelines, but the development and extension of their identity into a form not previously developed."

Populous also designed the O2 Arena, now the most popular entertainment venue in the world.

 

For further information please contact
Sophie Therouanne at Populous (London)
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8874 7666
Facsimile: +44 (0)20 8874 7470
 
Email media@populous.com

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