The Story Of Where We Stand

August 2025 | Design | Council Project

Brief: Subway mural in Talbot Village

Role: Graphic Designer, Painter

Partners: Jo Keeling of the Talbot Village Residents Association, Layne Hamerston of Bournemouth University and Martha Searle of Talbot Village Trust.

Tools: Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Procreate

A community-led mural celebrating the history and identity of Talbot Village in Bournemouth. The project transformed a previously dull underpass into a vibrant public artwork that visually tells the story of the village and its heritage.

The mural illustrates a timeline of Talbot Village, beginning with the philanthropic vision of sisters Georgina and Mary Talbot in the mid-1800s, who helped establish the rural community. It also highlights key moments such as the area’s wartime aerodrome, local wildlife, and the development of nearby schools, churches, and universities.

KEY FINDINGS

A key insight from the project was how public art can act as a bridge between history and community life. Through research and engagement with local stories, it became clear that many residents were unaware of the rich heritage surrounding Talbot Village. The mural, therefore, needed to communicate information in a way that was visually engaging, accessible, and easy to understand for people passing through the space.

From a design perspective, the visuals were developed to be bold and easily readable within the underpass setting. A simplified, illustrative style and strong colour palette were used to ensure the imagery could be quickly recognised by pedestrians and cyclists moving through the space. The composition follows a clear visual flow, guiding viewers along the wall while allowing individual elements of Talbot Village’s history to stand out. This approach helped balance aesthetic impact with informative storytelling, ensuring the mural was both engaging and educational.

From Competition to Collaboration

At the start of the project, we were in competition with other designers from the university, all of whom submitted their own design proposals.

Each team presented their ideas and creative routes to a panel that included members of the local council as well as Jo Keeling. Following these presentations, three design concepts were selected to move forward.

We then spent two weeks working collaboratively as a team to combine the strongest elements from each route, refining the ideas into one cohesive design for the final mural.

Transforming the Space

The mural transformed a previously overlooked wall into a vibrant and engaging visual landmark within the community. Through the use of bold colour, illustrative storytelling, and large-scale composition, the design brings new energy to the space while encouraging people to pause and engage with the artwork.

By turning a blank surface into a shared piece of visual storytelling, the mural not only enhances the environment aesthetically but also fosters a stronger sense of pride, connection, and ownership within the community.

The Story Of Where We Stand

PROJECT REFLECTION

This project was extremely enjoyable, as it allowed me to reconnect with my artistic roots in fine art and step away from working on screen constantly. Being able to design and paint in a physical environment brought a different energy to the creative process and reminded me of the value of hands-on making within design.

Working on the mural during the summer alongside peers from the university, many of whom I had not collaborated with before, was a particularly rewarding experience. The project helped me develop key skills as a designer, including communication, adaptability, and the ability to work efficiently within tight deadlines.

I would love to continue working on similar public and collaborative projects in the future, particularly those that combine community engagement with large-scale visual design.