Signage specialist FASTSIGNS Crawley has played a pivotal role in bringing to life a state-of-the-art STEM Centre at London Gatwick, aimed at inspiring school children to pursue careers within science, technology and engineering, providing signage solutions that will complement the new facilities.
The new centre, equipped with interactive exercises, classrooms, quiet areas and dedicated facilities for students with special education needs, has been opened to combat the widening skills STEM gap and to encourage young people, between the ages of four and 18, to pursue STEM-related studies that will help to fuel the economy.
FASTSIGNS’ team of signage experts were briefed with creating inviting, educational and stimulating signage for a series of rooms, including an Archimedes room, each designed to teach young people about the intricate operations of the airport, and the technology and engineering capabilities behind the scenes.
In order to educate visitors on one of history’s most famous mathematicians, Archimedes, the West Sussex-based signage team was tasked with creating vibrant wall graphics that highlighted the complex engineering behind the Archimedes Screw principle – a system that allows airport runway teams to drain water up to a higher channel away from the airfield.
As well as providing tailored colour changing lighting solutions to showcase the main feature wall, FASTSIGNS also delivered a variety of other signage. This includes printed window frosting, full wall graphics, some of which were separate signs mounted on the graphic, creating a multidimensional finish. There are also lightboxes and a series of inspirational pillar quotes created, including quotes from London Gatwick employees that spread across each room, bringing each design together seamlessly.
“We relish projects that give us the opportunity to combine our knowledge of practical and informative signage, with fun and educational content – and our partnership with London Gatwick enabled us to deliver just that,” commented Melanie Martinez, director at FASTSIGNS Crawley. “No matter what industry or environment you are in, signage can play an important role in educating us and this mindset was at the very heart of this project.
“To capture the attention of today’s distracted audiences, signage needs to be both eye-catching and engaging, as much as it needs to be informative, fuelling their minds while getting them excited about the possibilities of STEM.
“Working with the amazing team at the STEM centre enabled all of us at FASTSIGNS Crawley to utilise not only our practical skills but also stretched our creative muscles too. The finished project is a testament to the fact that, with the right signage solutions, anything is possible”
Darren Hollis, senior engineering manager at London Gatwick, added: “It was fantastic to work with FASTSIGNS Crawley on the visuals for our brand new STEM centre. The space is a bespoke, hands-on experience which aims to engage and teach school children across the region about STEM and aviation, so it is vital the space is visually engaging for everyone who visits.
“FASTSIGNS captured our brief perfectly and the designs have had positive feedback from pupils, teachers and partners who visit the STEM centre.”
