Whitehall signage:
carefully considered

The brief: roll out a signage scheme for a refurbished Whitehall building in Central London. The challenge: a site that was split in two parts - one side Grade II listed and the other from the 1970s - so how do you create something that both stands out and blends in?

We had to design a scheme that was fully accessible, despite the listed side not always being practical for signage placement. Sometimes the routes had to be longer, but they were always the most accessible routes.

The biggest challenge was balancing the needs of a listed building with the requirements of a 21st-century signage scheme. Sometimes the guidelines simply didn’t fit, so we had to test and prove our approach again and again, adapting our approach to respect the heritage of the building. Even the non-listed side was challenging—it took a lot of effort to keep the client and project team aligned. On top of that, we had to go through listed building consent, which was a lengthy (but important) process.

In the end, we delivered a complete signage scheme across both buildings. There were lots of little quirks—nooks and crannies meant that signs weren’t always perfectly spaced—but we managed to deliver on time and to great acclaim, which was a big achievement.

The accessibility of the scheme was particularly well received. Every single sign was carefully considered—the contrast, the tactile nature, the inclusivity. The signage complemented the buildings rather than distracting from them, while still serving its purpose effectively. That level of consideration was something the client really appreciated.

The level of detail we put into the braille signage stands out for us. If a route turned a corner, the braille instructions had to reflect that exactly. We also made sure the syntax was consistent across all signage, so the language always matched.

Normally braille is just a word-for-word translation, but we developed descriptive braille instructions that gave clear directions, which felt much more meaningful. Another standout element was the maps—we worked really hard to create designs that worked in multiple colours and made sense to as many people as possible. It was a small detail, but it was important and rewarding to get right.

What we learnt most was that signage is never “just a sign.” There are so many different ways to do it, and what’s logical for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. There’s so much data, reasoning, and human behaviour behind the decisions. We’ve come away realising there’s always something new to learn, and we’ve really developed our process and approach over the years. 

See the full 22–26 Whitehall project here