Corten steel (also referred to as ‘weathering steel’) has been in vogue for a while and I’ve been looking for an opportunity to use it on a job. The steel alloys form a stable external layer of rust that eliminates the need for painting.
AWOL Studios based in Manchester gave me the chance to experiment. The motif for their new brand identity lends itself to the job perfectly as it’s designed with a stencil format in mind – a combination of ‘islands’ (positive space) and ‘bridges’ (negative space that holds the stencil together).
I wanted to create a stencil effect design after being inspired by the artwork in the mill – graffiti style murals that wrap the corridor walls and communal areas on each floor. The idea of spray painting stencils on walls and floors has a rebellious, grass roots feel.
The stencil format has been used here in the signage mockup I created. The rusting corten steel blends perfectly with the historic mill’s facade and like the brick and fabric of the building, the steel sign will age with a patina that becomes more beautiful with time.