Edinburgh students give building new lease of life

Edinburgh Napier students have teamed up with a leading construction company to give a city centre building site a new lease of life.

The first year graphic design students have worked alongside main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland to produce 32 new creative hoarding panels for its construction site in the city’s Fountainbridge area.

The site, which will eventually be home to a new 228-room Hampton by Hilton hotel, has seen the new boards installed in an effort to shine a spotlight on the Fountainbridge area’s rich history with passers-by.

Working individually, each of the 30 Edinburgh Napier students have produced a number of designs that depict many of the key historical elements of the area.

Eye-catching interpretations of Sean Connery, who was born close to the development in Fountainbridge, the area’s rubber industry through the ages, the Fountainbridge community, the Union Canal, its links with Burke and Hare and the work of Bowmer & Kirkland, including its work in the community and importance the company places on site safety, have all been unveiled as part of the project.

As well as using the construction site as an information hub, the project has also allowed the students to gain valuable experience in using key graphic design software, alongside having their work displayed as part of a large-scale, public exhibition.

Mick Dean, lecturer in graphic design at Edinburgh Napier, said: “We were delighted to be approached by Bowmer & Kirkland for this creative project and it’s great to see the impact our students’ work has had on the aesthetics of the site.

“The project has given our first year students a valuable insight into both graphic design software packages and the considerations required for working on a project of this size and stature – it’s been a fantastic development opportunity for them.”

Philip Bates, B&K project manager, said: “Inviting the students to design graphics for our hoarding is a great way to improve the profile of our site and it now acts as an information hub for people who walk by. Fountainbridge has been an important part of the city since the 1600s and it made perfect sense to highlight its history on our site hoarding.”