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The Locksbrook Typeface: Design Rooted in Place

Wednesday, 30 September, 2026

Designed specifically for the Locksbrook campus, the Locksbrook typeface and wayfinding system is more than a set of letters. Created as part of a student-led design project, it was developed to become part of the building itself, helping people navigate the space whilst reflecting on the architecture and history of the building. 

The project began in 2019, as the new Locksbrook building was preparing to open as a ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ campus. A group of students from the university’s Graphic Design course were invited to work on the project, with the brief deliberately left open enough for them to explore different approaches. The students visited the site before it officially opened, researched the building and its history, and worked together to develop ideas for how the design could contribute to the new campus. 

One of the most important influences was the building itself. Locksbrook had previously been the Herman Miller ‘Action Factory’ designed by Nikolas Grimshaw in 1976, giving the site a distinctive architectural character. Rather than treating the typeface as something that would simply be applied to the building, the students looked at the architecture as a starting point. Its curved edges, straight lines and structural details became the basis for the letterforms. Photographs and observations of the building helped translate those physical characteristics into a visual language. The students were introduced to the principles of environmental and wayfinding design, including through guidance from a professional wayfinding designer. This shifted the focus beyond typography as something purely decorative, the typeface needed to function within a real environment and help people understand and move through the building. 

The resulting design deliberately avoids competing with the architecture. Instead, it was intended to sit naturally within the building, communicating information without becoming a standalone artwork. As Amelia Wotton, one of the students involved in the project, explains: 

“It kind of wanted to blend in… We kind of wanted it to just fit in with the building rather than be like a standout piece of art.” 

That approach was particularly important for this wayfinding system. The lettering needs to be noticeable enough to guide people but integrated enough that it feels as though it belongs there. The typeface's straight lines and considered curves echo elements of the architecture, allowing signs and information to become part of the wider visual identity of the campus. 

The design process itself was intensive, with the students having around three to four weeks to develop the project before the building opened, meeting frequently and working through ideas together. The short timeframe meant the project felt closer to a professional commission than a typical university assignment, particularly because the finished work would become a permanent and highly visible part of the campus. 

Creating a complete typeface also brought its own challenges. Some letters were considerably harder to resolve than others because of the design's reliance on straight lines and curves. The S and Z proved difficult, the S needed to work within the existing visual language, while the angular structure of a Z introduced a form that was less common elsewhere in the alphabet. 

Another distinctive feature of the system is the use of square panels inspired by the exterior panels of the building. These became a way of reinforcing the connection between the lettering and its architectural surroundings. The typeface was developed first, before the idea of placing it onto these panels was introduced to emphasise that relationship further. 

The result is a piece of design that can be easy to overlook precisely because it works so well within its environment. It is not intended to demand attention. Instead, it quietly provides information, direction and identity throughout the campus. The typeface becomes part of the experience of moving through Locksbrook as something students and visitors encounter as they navigate the building. 

Its story also demonstrates the potential of student design work to have a life beyond the classroom. What began as a short, collaborative university project became a permanent part of the campus, with students' ideas translated into a functional system used by the university community. 

Years later, the typeface continues to be used and has even been brought back into new promotional material celebrating Locksbrook's 50th anniversary. In that sense, the project has come full circle, a typeface created in anticipation of the building's opening has become part of the visual record of its history. 

The Locksbrook typeface ultimately shows how typography can do more than communicate words. By taking cues from the building's architecture, history and function, the design connects information with place. It demonstrates how a successful wayfinding system can become almost invisible in its usefulness guiding people through a space while feeling as though it was always meant to be there.