In early 2014, Sheffield Hallam University’s own on campus food offer was suffering from the proliferation of well known cafe chains in its immediate vicinity. In an effort to regain student interest, the university decided to entirely revise its catering approach.

They first contracted a branding agency to curate a more distinctive positioning, offer and visual identity. This one provided a comprehensive brand book which was then to be translated into an interior concept.

Rawls was commissioned by the university for this specific task: the translation of the revised catering offer’s brand and offer into an operational retail design concept. Part of the brief provided was the Granary’s positioning, set as: “wholesome, hearty & contemporary food, with a good value for money and a homemade appeal”.

Our first job was to design an initial concept proposal, bringing the 2D identity received into an architectural palette. To help in our task we were asked to already design a pilot location. If successful, the concept would then be rolled out across all university buildings.

I led this project from start to finish, holding the initial client meeting, taking the brief and designing the first concept proposal with minimal help from our graphic design team.

Once the concept had been signed off, I liaised with the client’s selected suppliers and contractors to ensure the adequate project delivery for the pilot location. This included a few on-site team meetings, as well as calls and mails. During a final visit, I picked up on snagging and took notes in view of future implementations.

As the first location proved an instant success, we were commissioned to prepare similar conceptual plans and renders for the additional two existing locations. For this part of the work I supervised a junior colleague, ensuring he adequately applied the design principles previously set, while also integrating the feedback collected from the first location.

As of January 2026, the Granary still operates with this same design concept.