A Hoarding Graphic can be used for much more than advertising. While printed hoardings are often associated with property developments, retail launches and marketing campaigns, they can also be used simply to make a temporary construction area look cleaner, brighter and more professional.
For businesses that need to remain fully operational while refurbishment work is taking place, this can make a significant difference.
A good example is a project completed by Project Print Management (PPM) for BNP Paribas at its Marylebone office in London.
The project involved creating a large Hoarding Graphic for a temporary hoarding installed around construction works at the building’s main entrance.
Hoarding Graphic Used to Improve a Live Working Environment
BNP Paribas is one of the world’s best-known banking groups, and its Marylebone office is an important corporate location in central London.
The main entrance to the building featured a large revolving door positioned within the atrium. This entrance required replacement, but the work was expected to take approximately one month to complete.
Because the office remained operational throughout the refurbishment, the construction area needed to be safely separated from employees, visitors and members of the public.
A substantial temporary wooden hoarding was therefore constructed around the work area.
From a health and safety perspective, the hoarding did exactly what was required. Visually, however, it created a large and rather unattractive barrier directly within the main entrance area.
The client understandably wanted something more presentable.
Instead of leaving employees and visitors looking at unfinished timber for several weeks, PPM was asked to create a decorative Hoarding Graphic that would completely transform the temporary structure.
Designing Artwork for the Hoarding Graphic
One of the first challenges was the size and shape of the hoarding.
The installation measured approximately 2.44 metres high by 13 metres long, making it a very wide landscape format.
Any image used across a surface of this size needs to work visually over a considerable distance.
The artwork also had to suit a professional corporate environment.
Rather than using a heavily branded advertising design, the client wanted something attractive, calm and easy to look at.
A landscape image provided the ideal solution.
As BNP Paribas is a French business, a design inspired by the French countryside was particularly appropriate. The final concept featured rolling green and yellow hills, creating a natural and relaxing backdrop within the entrance area.
This approach is a good example of how a Hoarding Graphic does not always need to sell a product or carry a marketing message.
Sometimes the purpose is simply to improve the environment.
Creating the Artwork Cost-Effectively
There are several ways to create artwork for large printed hoardings.
For some projects, PPM works with photographers or designers to create completely bespoke imagery. For others, particularly temporary installations, it can be more economical to use carefully selected stock photography.
For the BNP Paribas project, suitable royalty-free images were sourced and then adapted to work with the unusual 13-metre-wide format.
The image was mirrored, extended and adjusted so that the landscape flowed continuously across the full length of the hoarding.
This is an important part of large format artwork preparation.
A photograph that looks excellent on a computer screen will not automatically work when enlarged across a surface several metres long.
The image needs sufficient resolution, while elements within the design must be positioned carefully to avoid awkward joins between panels.
Our artwork process ensured the finished Hoarding Graphic appeared as one continuous landscape rather than a series of repeated images.
Aluminium Composite Panels for Printed Hoarding Graphics
The choice of material is just as important as the artwork.
For this project, the graphics were digitally printed onto high-quality 3mm aluminium composite material (ACM).
Aluminium composite panels are widely used for printed construction hoardings because they provide a smooth, rigid and durable surface.
The printed panels can be fixed directly to the timber hoarding structure, creating a professional finish that is much cleaner than printing directly onto temporary materials.
ACM is particularly suitable for projects where appearance matters, such as offices, retail environments, property developments, hotels and public spaces.
The panels can also be cut accurately to size, helping create neat joints across long installations.
For many external projects, PPM can also apply an anti-graffiti laminate over the printed surface.
This provides additional protection and makes graffiti, dirt and general contamination easier to remove.
On the BNP Paribas project, this was considered unnecessary because the majority of the Hoarding Graphic was located internally and the building had 24-hour security.
Hoarding Graphics for Internal and External Construction Areas
Printed hoardings are often associated with external building sites, but this project demonstrates that they can be just as useful inside a building.
Refurbishment works regularly take place within live offices, shopping centres, hospitals, hotels and public buildings.
Even when the construction area is safely screened, a plain temporary wall can negatively affect the appearance of the space.
A well-designed Hoarding Graphic can change that immediately.
Depending on the project, the graphics can feature:
- Landscape photography
- Company branding
- Architectural visualisations
- Wayfinding information
- Project updates
- Product advertising
- Decorative artwork
- Trompe l’oeil imagery
- Corporate messaging
The design can be as simple or as detailed as the client requires.
More Than Just Advertising
There is sometimes an assumption that printed hoarding is primarily an advertising opportunity.
It certainly can be.
Large hoardings provide excellent space for promoting a development, displaying branding or communicating with passing customers.
But the BNP Paribas project demonstrates another valuable use.
In this case, there was no need for a strong advertising message.
The Hoarding Graphic simply turned an unattractive temporary construction barrier into something much more pleasant for staff and visitors to see.
During a month-long refurbishment project, that can make a surprisingly large difference to the overall environment.
It also helps demonstrate that a business is paying attention to the appearance of its premises even while essential maintenance or construction work is taking place.
Bespoke Hoarding Graphic Solutions from PPM
At Project Print Management, we supply printed hoarding solutions for a wide range of construction, refurbishment and commercial projects throughout London and the UK.
Our involvement can include surveying, artwork preparation, material selection, printing and installation.
Every project is different.
Some clients require a simple decorative solution like the BNP Paribas landscape. Others want their hoarding to reproduce the appearance of the building behind it, advertise a development or provide information about the construction project.
The important thing is finding the right solution for the location.
A Hoarding Graphic can turn a temporary construction barrier from something that needs to be hidden into something that actually improves the surrounding environment.
For BNP Paribas, a simple French landscape transformed 13 metres of plain wooden hoarding into an attractive feature within one of its main London offices.
Sometimes large format print does not need to shout.
It just needs to make the space look better.
For more information on printed hoardings or for our latest work please visit our blog page.
