At Project Print Management, we understand that construction sites — particularly in busy, prestigious locations — can be more than just necessary disruptions. With the right approach, they can also serve as powerful storytelling canvases, inspiring passers-by and maintaining a sense of pride and continuity during times of change.
This ethos was perfectly demonstrated in our recent project for Kings College School, an esteemed independent school undertaking a major redevelopment programme. Our task was to produce and install a visually striking, durable printed hoarding system that would both celebrate the school’s illustrious past and inform the community about its exciting future — all while ensuring safety and site security remained paramount.
A School in Transformation: The Background
Kings College School, renowned for its academic excellence and historic traditions, recently embarked on a transformative £30 million redevelopment programme. This ambitious construction project encompassed several key initiatives:
A new classroom block, featuring state-of-the-art teaching spaces and a large multi-purpose hall.
A relaxing central quad, designed to create a peaceful, communal heart for the school community.
Netball courts positioned at the centre of the site, enhancing the school’s already impressive sports facilities.
A brand-new music school, providing world-class facilities for students’ musical education.
While these projects promise to elevate the school’s environment for generations to come, the immediate priority was clear: ensuring the safety of pupils, staff, and visitors while construction work was underway.
A sturdy, large-scale wooden hoarding was erected around the perimeter of the construction zones. While this hoarding was highly effective in terms of safety and site security, its plain, utilitarian appearance did little to reflect the spirit and vibrancy of the school.
The Creative Vision: Bringing the Hoarding to Life
The school’s creative team quickly recognised an opportunity to transform the temporary hoarding into something much more than a safety measure. They envisioned an installation that would:
Celebrate the rich history of Kings College School, showcasing key milestones and achievements.
Inform the community about the ongoing construction projects and what they would mean for the future of the school.
Enhance the visual environment, ensuring that pupils, parents, staff, and visitors continued to feel inspired and connected during the redevelopment period.
Working collaboratively with their in-house designers, the school developed a striking concept that would turn the entire hoarding system into a dynamic visual timeline — telling the story of the school’s past while pointing towards its future.
Project Print Management was then invited to turn this creative vision into reality.
The Brief: A Printed Hoarding with Durability and Impact
The project brief specified several key requirements:
High-Quality Graphics: The printed panels needed to deliver sharp, vibrant imagery and text, ensuring excellent visibility even at a distance.
Durability: Given the school environment — and the long timescales involved in construction projects — the hoarding had to withstand outdoor weather conditions and regular wear and tear.
Vandalism Resistance: Recognising that even the most diligent students can sometimes be tempted to add their own “creative touches,” the school requested an anti-graffiti solution to protect the prints.
Tight Deadline: Perhaps the biggest challenge of all, the entire system needed to be printed and installed before an important parents’ open day — leaving very little room for delay.
Drawing on our extensive experience in large-format print projects for educational, commercial, and public spaces, we immediately set to work.
The Materials and Methods: Why Printed Aluminium hoarding?
After careful consultation, we recommended the use of 3mm aluminium composite panels (ACPs) for the hoarding system. This material was the perfect choice for several reasons:
Strength and Stability: ACPs are highly resistant to bending, warping, and weather damage, ensuring a pristine appearance over the full lifespan of the project.
High-Quality Print Surface: The smooth, flat surface of the panels allowed for exceptional print clarity and colour vibrancy.
Lightweight and Easy to Install: Despite their strength, ACPs are lightweight enough to be installed quickly and safely.
Easy Maintenance: With the right protective finishing, they could be kept clean and attractive with minimal effort.
To provide additional protection against potential vandalism, we applied a specialist anti-graffiti laminate over the top of the printed graphics. This clear coating allows graffiti or stickers to be easily removed without damaging the underlying artwork — a simple but vital investment in maintaining the project’s appearance over time.
The Process: Fast, Precise, and Professional
Meeting the tight deadline for the parents’ open day required meticulous planning and coordination. Here’s how we delivered:
1. Artwork Receipt and Pre-Production Checks
As soon as the final print-ready artwork files were received from the school’s design team, our pre-production specialists undertook a thorough review. We checked for any issues relating to colour consistency, scaling, and image resolution, ensuring that no unexpected surprises would arise during printing.
2. Digital Printing
Using our state-of-the-art large-format digital printers, we produced the full set of hoarding panels within just four days. Thanks to our advanced UV-curing technology, the prints were instantly dry, vibrant, and ready for lamination.
3. Lamination and Finishing
Each panel was carefully laminated with the anti-graffiti film, providing a tough, durable finish that would protect the artwork from weathering, dirt, and vandalism.
4. Installation
Installation took place over a weekend to avoid disrupting the school’s busy weekday schedule. Our expert fitters completed the entire installation in just five hours, ensuring the site was safe, secure, and visually spectacular well before the open day event.
The Result: A Stunning, Storytelling Hoarding
The completed hoarding truly captured the spirit of Kings College School. Vibrant, educational, and visually engaging, it transformed a functional construction barrier into a major feature of the school’s campus during the building work.
The panels depicted key moments from the school’s proud history, from its founding through to its most recent academic and extracurricular achievements. Alongside these historical highlights, detailed renderings and information about the new facilities gave current and prospective parents a compelling vision of the school’s future.
Feedback from the school community was overwhelmingly positive. Pupils were fascinated by the historical imagery, staff appreciated the professional presentation, and parents left the open day impressed by both the school’s ambitions and its attention to detail — even during the disruption of construction.
Why Choose Project Print Management for Printed Aluminium hoarding?
This project is a prime example of what Project Print Management delivers:
High-quality print production that captures and enhances our clients’ creative visions.
Durable solutions that stand the test of time in busy, challenging environments.
Fast turnaround times without compromising on quality.
Seamless project management from concept to completion.
Whether working with schools, commercial developers, or public sector organisations, we pride ourselves on delivering printed hoarding solutions that are as informative and inspiring as they are practical.
Ready to Elevate Your Construction Site?
If you’re planning a construction project and want your site hoarding to be more than just a safety barrier, Project Print Management is here to help.
We offer:
Full consultation services
Professional graphic design support (if required)
High-quality digital printing onto a wide range of materials
Expert installation nationwide
Anti-graffiti protection options
Maintenance and replacement services
Contact us today to discuss your project or request a free quotation.
To see more examples of our work, visit our Blog Page
Project Print Management: Where Print Meets Precision, Creativity, and Quality.
King’s College School is an independent day school for boys aged 7-18 and girls aged 16-18. Founded in 1829 by Royal Charter, it’s a school of over 1200 pupils and is one of the most academically successful schools in the world.
King’s College School, commonly referred to as KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school in Wimbledon. The school was founded in 1829 as the junior department of King’s College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, prior to relocating to Wimbledon in 1897.
keywords; Printed Aluminium hoarding, Aluminium hoarding, printed hoarding with anti-graffiti film, colourful hoardings. digitally printed hoarding
