Royal Institute of British Architects

Our Brief – to design and produce the look and feel for The Building Futures Game.

The game was devised by Architectural practice The AOC and funded by RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment). The game outlines possible scenarios and outcomes that face a community over a period of time and promotes discussion for the players – be they town planners, councillors, design professionals or educators. It contains multiple components including: decks of proposal, statement and event cards, A0 baseline and scenario sheets, instruction booklets and the box they all come in.

“Gavin & Lizzie provided us with a unique solution by pushing the Building Futures brand.
The response to the game has been excellent and we are extremely happy with the whole package”.
Tamsie Thomson, RIBA

Spring adapted the existing Building Futures logo utilising the extended colour palette to create a look and feel for the game. These seven colours relate to the seven facets of the built environment considered in the game: Business, Retail, Community, Utilities, Transport, Open Spaces, Housing.

Colour coding the game was essential in creating instant visual recognition between the seven facets. It also enhanced the visual appeal by drawing on gaming vernacular, most notably Monopoly.

We also developed a simple piece of direct mail to promote the game. This involved deciding how to explain the game’s complexity and communicate the idea that the process of developing shared visions for neighbourhoods is an enjoyable and rewarding experience.