How three agencies came together to reimagine Manchester’s Castlefield Viaduct – in pictures

Strategic thinkers, Creative Concern, developed the interpretation strategy for the space. The overarching concept, Views from the Viaduct, invites visitors to look to the past, contemplate the future, and feedback on what they would like to see from the space.

Following interviews with the local community, discussion topics were chosen to be centered around three themes – the viaduct’s potential, connections to the city’s heritage and the power of nature. These themes were the building blocks of a narrative of the viaduct’s past present and future. That story is now told by the interpretation panels in the space. 

Using this narrative as a starting point, O Street developed a visual response that centred around a core illustrated collage to capture Castlefield Viaduct’s place in Manchester. The view is framed by a graphic device that is inspired by a recognisable structural element of the viaduct itself. The bracket framing device formed a main part of the visual language for the viaduct, used as a feature for signage and wayfinding en route to the viaduct, as well as on the viaduct itself.

O Street worked with Josephine Hicks, a designer and painter known for her large scale ‘pop botanical’ murals, to create a dynamic illustrated collage. Jo specialises in celebrating connections between nature and biodiversity in urban environments, so she was the perfect fit as the illustrator for this project. Crafting sketches, textures and acrylic paintings, Hicks helped to create a library of collage assets that could be used across the campaign for different touchpoints.

As Hicks worked on some of the illustrative elements, O Street drew inspiration from local heritage and architecture to create a Castlefield Viaduct colour palette. Combining National Trust brand colours of navy and rust red with a bright teal, subtly referencing the historical Manchester Tramway livery colours.

3D design experts Stuco Design curated the viaduct’s wayfinding and interpretation, creating a visitor experience built upon the engagement strategy, narrative, and visual identity.

Large drop banners hang from lift shafts and finger post signs are scattered across the city, helping direct people to the site. As visitors explore the viaduct they encounter graphic interpretation boards displaying stories that look to the past, present and future of the city. The boards are designed as a modular system, with individual panels hung on ‘railway track’ style brackets. This creates a dynamic and flexible system, allowing panels to be updated as the messaging develops in time.

Smaller signs are peppered across the viaduct, asking visitors to contemplate and share their views. The strength of the visual identity can be fully appreciated in the form of bold, illustrative, vinyl wraps, offering a charming new look to the National Trust’s entrance gate, toilet blocks and welcome kiosk.

On early site visits it became clear that the viaduct – positioned right above tramlines, trainlines, car parks and canals – had quite high levels of noise. The team were able to exploit the well-trodden adage ‘the solution is in the problem’, inviting soundscape artist Tommy Perman to turn the viaduct itself into a musical instrument.

Taking sounds recorded on site, birdsong from species that can be found nearby, and mill sounds recorded at Quarry Bank, Perman was struck by the similarities between the industrial sounds and the sound of nature. He created a soundscape that reflects the viaduct’s industrial past and greener future. The two-minute musical score is played on a seamless loop through speakers hidden in the viaduct’s gardens, inviting visitors to take a moment to sit back and reflect on the viaduct’s past, present and future.

Cheyenne Brown, senior account manager, Creative Concern, said: “Pulling together a partnership of creative agencies from the very start of the project was key to its success. Creative Concern’s strong experience in developing strategies and narrative combined with O Street’s design and wayfinding track-record and Stuco’sexpertise in bringing creative ideas to life. The result was a highly-skilled creative team, collaborating through every step of the process.”

As visitors draw to the end of the viaduct – which ends in an event space overlooking a section of viaduct that lies untouched – they are asked to consider and feedback on the question, “what could this place become?”