Big Design in Excel exhibition hall

Excel, a new £250m exhibition and conference centre in London Docklands to rival Olympia and Earls Court, opens this week. It features an identity designed by Big Design, signage from Shropshire-based design group Idea and London consultancy Air, and interiors by Moxley Architects.

Big Design, which has also created all marketing communications for the launch, has designed an identity with the strapline “The place to be seen”. Big Design director Marc Binnington says, “The logo aims to highlight the positive aspects of the Docklands such as, believe it or not, the Dome and the Thames Barrier.”

“We have tried to create a lifestyle, fashion brand for Excel to appeal to consumers making the trek to the Docklands,” he adds.

Wayfinding signs were created by Idea and Air. Matthew Knight, Air senior designer, says signage had to be in sympathy with the architecture and be user-friendly because of the size of the centre.