Light, bright and indestructible, an outdoor hoarding.
The scenario: A design client of ours had won a commission to produce a vibrant community arts piece which was also to perform the function of being a solid wall that would block off a piece of waste land that was becoming used as an illegal dumping site. In an area known for vandalism this needed to be resistant to attack in as many ways as possible, yet be a vibrant piece of art first and foremost.
The specific requirements: Be easy to clean off graffiti. Be capable of being driven into by a car. Be difficult to dismantle even by a dedicated team with tools. Utilise the light shining through it to provide a glow. Keep costs low in keeping with a community art project.
The solution: The main panels were images mounted onto the reverse of a Perspex known as Exel D which would allow the light to shine through, but is incredibly strong, impact and scratch resistant. To provide collision strength it was supported by a timber frame from the back. To avoid any damage to the graphic panels the first three metres were backed by 5mm foamex, though some of the graphic at the top had no graphic so as to allow light to shine through the Perspex and make the artwork glow.