Using illustration to build public connection around climate action
Client
City of London
Sector
Public Sector / Climate Strategy / Policy Communication
Category
Narrative, Information and Clarity
Scope
Illustration, Data Visualisation, Accessibility, Editorial Design, Information Design, Interactive Design, Visual Identity, Digital Communication
Designed for both public engagement and strategic implementation
Overview
Commissioned by the City of London, this project brought together a series of adaptive pathways, measures and risk assessments designed to support action towards net zero. The work needed to function both as a strategic tool for the borough and as a public-facing communication piece that could help make the wider plan more visible, understandable and engaging.
The Challenge
The challenge was to communicate complex climate strategy content in a way that could speak to multiple audiences. The material needed to support internal understanding and implementation, while also being accessible enough for public sharing. Without the right visual approach, the reports risked feeling overly technical, fragmented and difficult for non-specialist audiences to connect with.
The Approach
I developed a themed illustration that represented the City of London and its citizens, helping ground the strategy in a more human and place-specific visual language. The illustration was then broken down into a flexible toolkit of assets, allowing the visual identity to be carried consistently across the wider set of deliverables and giving the City of London a system it could continue to apply.
Alongside this, the reports were designed around different strategic drivers within the risk assessment framework, with a strong focus on digital reading and usability. Exploring a more interactive publication approach, I adapted the layouts for screen-based viewing and introduced interface-led considerations that made the content easier to navigate, engage with and understand.
The Outcome
The result was a more cohesive and accessible communication system for a technically complex climate strategy. The work helped make the content feel more human, place-based and publicly approachable, while also giving the City of London a flexible visual toolkit that could support consistency across future outputs.
_edited.png)