Challenge

I was initially approached by Birmingham Guild of Students in the Summer of 2023 to design an illustrated map to be given out on campus to the new students arriving in September.

The map had several key considerations; the team wanted a hand drawn feel, and for the map to feel friendly and welcoming, but they also needed it to accurately plot plenty of key destinations and all of the student halls locations, so that students could easily navigate their new surroundings. The reverse of the map also needed to include an extensive events list for Welcome Week, so that new students could plan their activities.

In 2024 we developed the previous year’s map with several key additions; the newly completed student accommodations, some more ‘Did you know?’ pull-outs with snippets about Birmingham’s landmarks and history, and more key landmarks and main roads to aid ease of navigation. 

Solution

The map combined several key elements;

The accommodation buildings themselves were rendered simply as 3D purple boxes, so that students could easily navigate to specific blocks.

The student villages and main campus names were pulled out in banner graphics, as these were the four main areas students would recognise.

Key landmarks, buildings and icons were illustrated in a hand drawn style.

Result

The maps received fantastic feedback from new students, with them actively seeking out a printed copy from pick-up points around campus.

Deliverables

Map design
Illustration