Durham University Business School Showcasing the £84 million Waterside Building.

The Challenge.

The launch of the new Waterside building wasn’t just about opening a new space. It was about signalling a step change in what the business school represents. A new flagship building in the heart of Durham’s innovation district, designed to support world-class teaching, research and industry collaboration. 

The challenge was to communicate that shift clearly. Not just what the building looks like, but what it enables. The scale. The ambition. The experience of being inside it.

At the same time, the content needed to work across multiple audiences. Prospective students, partners, alumni and internal stakeholders. Each with different expectations, but all needing a consistent understanding of what Waterside represents.

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The Solution.

We created a high-quality showcase suite of films designed to capture both the physical space and the meaning behind it.

At the centre was a hero introduction film. This brought together key voices from across the business school to articulate the vision behind Waterside. Not as a list of features, but as a clear narrative about progress, ambition and future impact. Alongside this, we produced a suite of cinematic showcase content focused on the building and its facilities. Lecture theatres, collaborative spaces, the financial trading lab, and social environments were all captured in a way that reflects how the space is actually experienced. 

The approach was simple. Show the building at its best. Anchor it in real voices. Connect the space to the role it plays in shaping future business leaders.

Each asset was designed to work both independently and as part of a wider system. Supporting launch, ongoing recruitment, partnerships and stakeholder engagement.

The Results.

The films provided Durham University Business School with a clear, consistent way to introduce Waterside across multiple touchpoints.

A launch asset that positions the building as a flagship environment. A suite of content that extends beyond the moment of opening. A set of films that continue to support recruitment, engagement and reputation. Most importantly, the work shifts the perception from a new building to a meaningful step forward.

Not just a place to study. A space designed to shape how business is taught, researched and experienced.

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“Clearhead understood this wasn’t just about showcasing a building, but communicating what Waterside represents for the Business School. The films have given us something we continue to use across recruitment and stakeholder engagement, not just for the launch.”
arrow Stephen Close, Marketing Officer at Durham University Business School