Branding the environment
Finally, Entro provided a variety of ‘branding’ features to distinguish the school’s appearance, including floor-to-ceiling window films, privacy films, individual colour panels for the breakout rooms and a window graphic for the new library, referencing the Gothic stained-glass windows of the previous library.
Window films were also used to create privacy screens for some of staff offices.
The breakout rooms line the entire quadrangle, including small study rooms for interviews and team discussions. These rooms’ particular palettes, ranging from warm reds to cool purples, were chosen to reflect a spectrum of colours associated with sunrise and sunset as seen from each space.
In the 20-seat Latta boardroom, where floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides offer clear views of the UWO campus and downtown London, window-cling graphics were introduced to add images of Ivey’s multiple campuses, including locations in Toronto and Hong Kong, China. London-based Window Film Systems (WFS) printed and installed this customized 2.5 x 17-m (8.2 x 55.8-ft) window display, using its own ultra-clear film.
Entro also worked with Window Film Systems on the privacy films for staff work areas. The two companies tested multiple degrees of transparency before achieving both the right opacity for privacy and sufficient translucency to allow natural light to illuminate the building’s corridors. The films were printed with horizontal lines with smooth edges, then applied to both sides of the glass windows. ‘Offsetting’ the lines on both sides provided further privacy without making spaces feel as cut off from each other as they might with a frosted vinyl film.
Opening for business
On September 9, 2013, the Ivey School officially opened its new building. The event featured a keynote address by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield and hosted approximately 2,000 members of the school’s community. With architecture and signage working together to support the school’s world-class status, UWO turned a page in its long history of leadership in business education.
Udo Schliemann is principal creative director for Entro Communications. The team that worked on the Ivey School project included Jonathan Picklyk, Darren Rodenkirchen, Ian White and project manager Richard Anthistle. For more information, visit www.entro.com.
