St Mary’s lies at the heart of Walthamstow Village in East London. The building’s architecture, monuments, and tombs show traces of over 900 years of human history.

DPM were appointed to integrate interpretation, signage and way-finding into the historic spaces and new extension by Matthew Lloyd Architects.

The design of the external signage responds to the timber frame construction of the new extension and the 15th Century house that sits opposite the church. A four-meter-high laminated larch totem welcomes arriving visitors.

Interpretative panels were routed in shapes that reference the many historic stone monuments positioned throughout the church’s interior.

A printed fabric timeline hangs across a flexible split batten display system. During events and temporary exhibitions, the fabric interpretation can be removed, and the split batten used to hang new content.

A new graphic identity with redrawn symbol, word marques, typeface and colour palette was applied to three printed guides. Each guide has a unique cover created using rubbings made by community groups of stone carvings and natural features around the church’s grounds.