Last year, the Office of Strategic Communication got word of a renovation of our above-the-bookstore space in Library Mall. Once complete, we were left with a fully rebuilt office — and fully blank walls.

As UW–Madison’s central marketing and strategic communication team, we’re responsible for defining and expressing the brand across the university. But our own workspace didn’t yet reflect that fact.

I chose a bold, warm five-color palette for the mural, to bring energy and warmth into a space otherwise dominated by white and gray. The simple, graphic forms made the design hand-paintable while still impactful at a large scale.

The design team used a projector to help us sketch the mural onto the wall. After painting the outlines, we invited staff to participate directly in the mural’s painting, turning a design element into a shared experience, and reinforcing the sense of ownership over the space. In both execution and outcome, the mural highlights community aspects of UW, ultimately celebrating education, place, and identity in a modern, welcoming way.

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