The Norwich City designers behind stunning seat coverings at Carrow Road
The seat coverings on display at Carrow Road. Picture: Catherine Ivill/PA Wire/NMC Pool - Credit: PA
Around 27,000 fans would usually fill the stands at Carrow Road on a matchday, but last Friday’s Norwich City match was very different.
The seat coverings on display at Carrow Road. Picture: Richard Heathcote/PA Wire/NMC Pool - Credit: PA
It was the Canaries’ first home game since the restart of the Premier League, and the usual roar of the home faithful was replaced by an eerie silence.
But one thing not missing was the colour – instead of yellow and green shirts, scarves and banners help by supporters, it was brought by a set of eye-catching seat coverings.
These were provided to all 20 members by the Premier League to place around the lower tier of stadiums, leaving it to the clubs to decide how to use the space.
For City, the responsibility fell to senior graphic designer Romana Buccianti and graphic designer Teague Hipkiss, who had two weeks to come up with ideas and turn them into reality.
The seat coverings on display at Carrow Road. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd +44 7904 640267 - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
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One of the most eye-catching designs – a rainbow-coloured banner paying tribute to Canaries icon Justin Fashanu – was a hit on social media.
Mr Hipkiss said: “Originally the Fashanu banner was placed on the South Stand, but then we decided to move it so it had a more prominent position behind the goal in the Regency Stand, which is of course also where the other Fashanu banner that Proud Canaries put together was displayed before the Liverpool game.”“The rainbow flag went down so well on Twitter which was such a positive thing to see,” said Miss Buccianti.
“I don’t check social media all that much – my LinkedIn is blowing up at the moment and I don’t really use it. You step back and think ‘wow, these people are talking about stuff that we’ve done’. I can’t quite get my head around it.”
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The seat coverings appear in all four stands and feature a variety of designs, including some in the Barclay Stand created by fan groups Along Come Norwich and Barclay End.
An NHS Lotus Premier League banner in the stands at Carrow Road. Picture: Catherine Ivill/PA Wire/NMC Pool - Credit: PA
And while season ticket holders cannot attend matches in person, their names will still be present courtesy of a subtle inclusion.
“We put together a list of NCFC ticket holders by stand and then I was able to put that into [the seat coverings] and layer it in such a way that you wouldn’t be able to see it from a distance, but up close it is clear,” Mr Hipkiss said.
“It’s a small detail, but I think a lot of people would feel nice that there is a bit of them still at Carrow Road watching on.”
The seat coverings on display at Carrow Road. Picture: Paddy Davitt - Credit: Archant
The names of season ticket holders have been woven into some of the seat coverings on display at Carrow Road. Picture: Norwich City FC - Credit: Norwich City FC
The seat coverings on display at Carrow Road. Picture: Paddy Davitt - Credit: Archant
The seat coverings on display at Carrow Road. Picture: Catherine Ivill/PA Wire/NMC Pool - Credit: PA
