Degree Show 2025
Ben Coar
BA Graphic and Communication Design
Ben is a designer from the North West with a detail-focused, research-led approach and a strong interest in narrative-driven work. His final project, Flying Saucer, explores the story of Preston’s disused primary entertainment venue.
Once a symbol of civic pride, optimism and ambition, the Guild Hall now stands dormant. Through photography, interviews, archival research and memorabilia, the project aims to tell the story of the building and the people connected to it.
The design responds directly to the architecture, using layout, material choices, graphic elements and a custom typeface informed by the building’s angular, sharp forms and distinct structural rhythm. The result is a visual reinterpretation of a space shaped by memory, ambition and absence, using design as a tool to reframe its narrative and presence in the city.
