Hurst Foundation

The client

The Hurst Foundation is the alumni and community engagement arm of Hurstpierpoint College, supporting lifelong relationships between the College and its former pupils, staff, parents and the wider community. Through events, communications, networking and philanthropy, the Foundation plays a central role in maintaining and strengthening these connections.

Its annual magazine is a key touchpoint within this relationship, acting as both a record of the community and a platform for the Foundation’s voice.

The brief

The brief was to refresh the design of the annual magazine so it better reflected both the audience and the ambition of the Hurst Foundation. While remaining accessible and familiar to an established readership, the publication needed to feel more engaging, more contemporary and more confident.

The existing magazine was content-rich but had begun to feel dated and structurally flat. The challenge was to modernise the publication without alienating loyal readers, while creating a flexible editorial system capable of evolving, particularly as giving and philanthropy become a more prominent part of the Foundation’s work.

A mock-up of the Sport Industry Report 2026 spread titled 'a new era of football' a orange background.

A mock-up of the Sport Industry Report 2026 front cover and spread on a orange background.

Our approach

We reimagined the magazine as an editorial experience, focusing on pace, hierarchy and design clarity to create a publication that rewards time spent with it.

A mock-up of the Hurst Floreat magazine spread.

An editorial-first mindset

Drawing inspiration from contemporary education publications, the refresh focused on creating a confident, design-led system. The aim was to celebrate the Hurst community while ensuring content felt clear, purposeful and engaging from cover to cover.

A mock-up of a spread from the Hurst Floreat magazine.

Concept-led design, each year

Photography was given greater prominence, with considered placement and scale creating visual pauses and statement moments throughout. Where information needed to work harder, clear and accessible infographics were introduced to support understanding without adding visual noise.

Subtle variation in layout, scale and rhythm was used to avoid repetition, ensuring the magazine remained engaging while coherent from start to finish.

Structure, pace and hierarchy

Strong typography became a key tool in establishing structure and energy across the magazine. A refined grid system was introduced to ensure consistency while allowing flexibility in layout, creating moments of impact alongside quieter, more reflective spreads. Bold section dividers help readers navigate the publication with ease.

A mock-up of the Floreat Magazine on a table.

Defining the publication

Alongside the editorial refresh, we developed a series of cover concept directions, section divider styles and interior layout options to bring the thinking to life. Using content from previous editions, we created like-for-like sample spreads to show how familiar material could be elevated within the new design system.

This process helped build confidence in the transition, demonstrating how the refreshed visual language could modernise the magazine while laying strong foundations for future editions. A formal masthead was also introduced to give the publication a clear, consistent identity and reinforce its role as an established platform for the Hurst Foundation’s voice.

A mock-up of a spread of the Hurst Floreat magazine showing 2 hands holding it.

Results

The refreshed magazine feels modern, engaging and assured, reflecting the pride, warmth and ambition of the Hurst Foundation community. The new editorial system balances tradition with progression, providing a flexible framework that can evolve alongside the Foundation’s priorities.

Most importantly, the publication now feels rewarding to return to, a magazine designed to be picked up, revisited and enjoyed, reinforcing the Foundation’s role at the heart of Hurstpierpoint College’s extended community.

Create a flagship publication

Our work in action

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Give your community a publication
it values

If your organisation uses print or digital publications to connect with an established audience, we can help you refresh them with purpose. From alumni magazines and community reports to wider editorial platforms, we design publications that feel engaging, considered and confident, balancing familiarity with progression.

Let’s create something your readers want to return to.

Get in touch