New student artwork celebrating the vibrant culture and history of Kingston has taken pride of place within Unilever's new UK and Ireland headquarters.

Students from Kingston University London and Kingston College have created three original pieces for the company's 300,000sq ft campus in Kingston town centre, which opened its doors last month.

The artworks, installed on walls across the ground floor reception area of Sunlight House, are now on show to Unilever employees, campus visitors and the wider public.

Students from both institutions took part in a design competition, responding to a brief to celebrate Kingston's history, culture and architecture through art.

Winning designs

Kingston College BTEC Level 3-4 Foundation Diploma in Art & Design students Firdeus Mehmed (left) and Amelia Maile-Shergold introduce their artwork at Unilever (Image supplied)

Two winning pitches came from final year undergraduate students at Kingston University's Kingston School of Art.

BA (Hons) Photography student Alexander Talver assembled handprinted images he had taken of some 250 trees throughout Kingston on a medium format analogue film camera to create a reconstituted forest, highlighting overlooked nature within the town.

Meanwhile BA (Hons) Fine Art student Antonio Bourouphael's piece is a sculptural representation of Kingston landmarks made from reclaimed balsa wood, capturing the town's atmosphere and Unilever's aesthetic.

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Kingston University fine art student Antonio Bourouphael with his artwork at Unilever's Kingston campus (Imag supplied)

The final winning design saw Kingston College BTEC Level 3/4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design students Amelia Maile-Shergold and Firdeus Mehmed collaborating on a mixed-media artwork.

They photographed locations around the town before using Photoshop to edit and combine the images, creating individual designs reflecting Kingston's identity and youth culture in a layered poster-style composition.

The artwork commission, in partnership with Unilever UK and Ireland, was supported by Overbury, the site's fit out contractor, through its social value legacy programme which provided art supplies and helped enable the installation, and global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will, which delivered the site's interior design. The project took seven months to complete.

Students worked closely with course tutors and mentors, gaining hands-on experience in large-scale public art production, design planning, and installation techniques.

Ali Orr, Student Development and Graduate Success Director at Kingston University, said the Unilever brief was among a range of employer experiences students have been engaging in through the University's Future Skills programme, ensuring they develop core human-centric skills alongside subject-specific learning.

He added: "This collaboration has provided an invaluable opportunity for our students to work directly with a key employer within the borough, gaining vital industry experience, confidence and exposure.

"We're delighted to see their creativity come to life in such a meaningful way. Projects like this help bridge the gap between education and industry, while showcasing the exceptional talent of our community."

Kingston University photography student Alexander Talver with his artwork at Unilever's Kingston campus (Image supplied)

Suna Marfe, Executive Director – Business Development and Partnerships at South Thames Colleges Group, said the project had enabled Kingston College students to develop artwork within a professional context, part of the institution's commitment to creating opportunities that connect learning with industry.

"Through this collaboration, our students have worked to real deadlines, responded to client feedback, and presented ideas directly to industry professionals," she said.

"Experiences such as site tours have also provided genuine insight into how creative practice operates in the real world, helping students to better understand what a career in the creative industries can look like."

Representing student talent within the community

Students and representatives from Unilever, Overbury, Kingston University London and Kingston College at the artwork unveiling (Image supplied)

With Unilever having had an office in the town for more than 50 years, Alice Taylor, Head of HR at Unilever UK and Ireland, said the project reflected the global consumer goods company's commitment to community engagement and supporting young creative talent.

She added: "The new campus has created an exciting opportunity to bring together employees in a bright and brilliant new space, as well as being a destination for key partners outside Unilever.

"We wanted to represent the wider Kingston community in our office and showcase the talent from Kingston College and Kingston University, both located just minutes away.

"The standard of artwork entered into the competition was exceptional, and we're proud to display three unique pieces which celebrate different aspects of Kingston for all our employees and visitors to enjoy."

Neil Solomon, Project Director at Overbury, said the collaboration was a milestone achievement for the student artists, whose work now forms part of the new campus identity.

"It has been a privilege to have been involved with the artwork campaign, which has resulted in talented young artists securing their artwork within the Unilever campus," he said.

"Seeing their work integrated into a corporate environment is a testament to their dedication and the strength of their creative vision.

"We are proud of their journey, and this marks a significant milestone as their contributions now enhance the identity of this workspace. We couldn't be happier that Unilever sought our partnership in making this campaign such a success."

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