BBVA

Workplace Branding, Glass Manifestation and Wayfinding at One Canada Square, Canary Wharf

Shows the white BBVA interior wall mounted signage against a dark blue wall.

The Challenge

BBVA was undertaking a major refurbishment of its office space on the 43rd floor at One Canada Square in Canary Wharf, London, with the existing floor completely gutted and transformed into a new workplace environment.

FASTSIGNS Tunbridge Wells was one of several teams working on-site throughout the project, delivering a wide range of glass manifestation, office signage, wayfinding, locker and desk numbering, and reception branding.

The project required a high level of customisation. We worked from initial designs provided by the architects, but the new space required us to adapt and develop the artwork to suit the exact conditions on-site. This included measuring every glass panel across the floor so the frosting could be accurately produced and ensuring the repeating pattern aligned correctly from panel to panel, including around corners.

The project also had a demanding programme. Production and installation began at the end of July, with our team returning to site multiple times each week through to the beginning of September. The hard deadline for the main works was 30 August, followed by a snagging period that had to be completed by 7 September.

Working alongside numerous other contractors presented an additional challenge. Keeping dust away from newly installed frosting was particularly difficult, as signage installations would normally take place towards the end of a refurbishment when most other trades have finished. On this project, the tight programme meant we had to work around other contractors throughout the installation.

The Solution

FASTSIGNS Tunbridge Wells produced and installed a comprehensive signage and branding package across the new BBVA workplace.

Glass Frosting & Manifestation

Shows a manifestations proof for the BBVA window graphics.

We installed approximately 150 linear metres of frosting, incorporating both full-coverage glass panels and decorative manifestation.

The main decorative banding was 750mm high, positioned 850mm from the floor to the bottom of the banding. The design consisted of a repeating linear pattern, with each glass panel carefully aligned to the next so the pattern flowed continuously across the installation, including around corners.

The frosting also incorporated reverse-cut room numbers and privacy pod labels, allowing the information to form part of the manifestation rather than being applied as separate graphics. The supplied BBVA manifestation specification used Metamark Opal Haze M7-OH frosting, with the room numbers cut from the frosting itself.

A collage of the vinyl window graphics around the interior meeting rooms for BBVA.

The installation included:

6 full-coverage glass panels with numbering
17 panels with 750mm manifestation with numbering
4 privacy pod manifestations

Careful measuring and production were particularly important on this part of the project, ensuring that the design remained consistent across the large number of individual glass panels.

A collage of the vinyl window graphics wrapping around the BBVA meeting rooms and creating privacy.

Locker & Desk Numbering

We also numbered approximately 600 lockers using 32mm-high grey printed graphics, produced on high-tack MD5 with a matt laminate.

A further 600 desks were numbered using MM-CC11M Colour Change Black Matt vinyl, with the numbers measuring 16mm high.

To speed up installation, we developed a production method where every number was manufactured to the exact measurements from the edges of the locker or desk. Although this takes longer during production, it allowed the installation team to position the graphics quickly and consistently without having to measure each individual item on-site.

With 1,200 individual items to number, this approach saved a considerable amount of installation time and helped us meet the demanding project schedule.

A collage of the proof for the employee lockets and the finished product in the BBVA office.

Office Wayfinding

A comprehensive wayfinding package was produced to help staff and visitors navigate the new office.

This included seven 150mm x 150mm signs manufactured from 10mm clear acrylic, with router-cut and polished edges. The signs directed users to areas including the canteen, business centre, store, first aid, post room and male and female toilets.

The acrylic was finished with coloured vinyl applied to the reverse, followed by white vinyl to prevent the fixing method from being visible through the clear material. Matt white vinyl text was then applied to the front.

A collage of the wayfinding signage around the BBVA building.

Where signs were installed onto glass, we first applied a high-tack white vinyl backing square before mounting the acrylic. This prevented the fixing tape from being visible from the opposite side of the glazing.

We also produced three directional signs, including a large 450mm x 450mm x 20mm clear acrylic sign and adjacent 75mm x 325mm x 5mm clear acrylic panels. These used different blue vinyl finishes and were aligned alongside one another, with their height matching the top of the main frosting banding.

Another collage of the interior wayfinding proof and finished results around the BBVA office.

Reception Branding

Shows the proof for the BBVA reception area.

At reception, we installed a bespoke dimensional BBVA logo feature.

The finished sign had an overall span of 1110mm and incorporated polished 20mm clear cast acrylic, layered white high-tack vinyl and 10mm white cast acrylic dimensional lettering. The letters were fitted with threaded studs and spacers to create a 10mm stand-off from the wall.

The layered construction allowed the sign to maintain a clean, dimensional appearance while complementing the new reception environment.

A collage of the BBVA interior wall-mounted signage against a blue wall.

Canteen & Internal Signage

An image of the vinyl proof for the BBVA office.

We installed 32 pictograms throughout the canteen to identify cabinets and drawers. These were produced from MM-CC11M Colour Change Black Matt vinyl, with each pictogram measuring approximately 750mm high.

A further three pictograms, measuring 100mm high, were produced using grey printed graphics on high-tack MD5.

We also produced and installed bespoke coat hangers, laser cut from 3mm white acrylic, with grey MD5-A printed graphics and matt laminate applied to the face. These were installed on the outside of the coat cupboards at approximately 60 inches from the floor.

A collage of the vinyl in the breakroom areas.

The Result

The completed installation delivered a comprehensive and highly coordinated signage package across BBVA's new One Canada Square workplace.

From 150 linear metres of precision-aligned glass manifestation to 1,200 individually numbered lockers and desks, bespoke acrylic wayfinding, reception branding and detailed internal graphics, the project required careful production planning and significant on-site coordination.

The decision to customise production around exact installation measurements helped our team work efficiently despite the tight programme, while the detailed glass measuring and pattern alignment ensured the manifestation maintained a consistent appearance across the entire floor.

Working alongside multiple contractors, managing dust-sensitive installations and returning to site several times a week, FASTSIGNS Tunbridge Wells successfully delivered the signage package within the project's demanding programme.

The result is a cohesive, professional workplace environment with clear office wayfinding, privacy manifestation and branded elements throughout the new BBVA office at One Canada Square.

A collage of the vinyl window graphics that create privacy around the office's meeting rooms.