Redpath works on heraldic look for Supreme Court

Edinburgh-based consultancy Redpath has worked on the identity for the United Kingdom Supreme Court – which will be the highest court in the land.
The Ministry of Justice appointed the consultancy in 2007, following a credentials pitch against Corporate Edge. It invited Redpath to pitch on the strength of the group’s existing relationship with Malcolm Reading Consultants, which was acting as client adviser.

The new Supreme Court, which was established by law in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, will be housed in the Middlesex Guildhall building on London’s Parliament Square.

Architect Feilden & Mawson is in charge of renovating the building and converting it to use as the new court. The building will be handed over on 31 July, and will start its new use in October.

Richard Irvine, managing director of Redpath, says the consultancy was originally appointed to work alongside Feilden & Mawson to see how the court’s new insignia could be integrated into the built fabric. The insignia was developed by heraldic painter Yvonne Holden.

Irvine says this task was similar to the work Redpath carried out when creating the identity for the Scottish Parliament. That identity was also integrated into architect EMBT/RMJM’s Edinburgh building.

The Supreme Court work subsequently developed into the creation of a new identity, closely based on Holden’s insignia, which required approval from the Law Lords and the Queen, and was sanctioned in October last year.

Irvine reports that this identity is used throughout the building, on signage, walls and carpets, designed by Sir Peter Blake, and will be used on other touchpoints such as digital and marketing materials. ‘The formal version of the identity has a crown on top – this is for when it is used on a constitutional document,’ Irvine says.
Andrew Hunter, chairman of Redpath, says, ‘It’s an honour, obviously, to be involved in such an august project. And while, in practical terms, the tasks to be carried out are similar to those we’d do for any commercial organisation, the opportunity to work alongside the team redeveloping the building was one we relished enormously.’

The Supreme Court:

• The United Kingdom Supreme Court was established by law in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, and will be the highest court for all matters under English and Welsh law
• The main role of the Supreme Court will be to hear appeals
• The Supreme Court will be housed in the Grade II*-listed Middlesex Guildhall, formerly a Crown Court building