The new identity was unveiled at the official opening ceremony of the colleges new 30m facilities at the Elephant & Castle, which was performed by the Duke of Gloucester on 26 November.

Speaking at the ceremony, head of college Dr Will Bridge said the rebrand was a logical and perhaps inescapable transformation from our past.

Pure printing now represents just 10% of the colleges activities compared to 60% 15 years ago, Bridge said. The college offers courses ranging from media and graphic design to marketing and publishing.

But Bridge stressed that it was not losing our inky fingered roots altogether. Printing remains a key part of the communications industries and this college will remain its champion, he said.

The new identity will come into force when the London Institute, of which the college is a part, gains its university status in late spring 2004. The Institute will then become known as the University of the Arts, London.

LCP commissioned architects Allies & Morrison to carry out the combined rebuild and new-build at the Elephant & Castle in 1998. The project involved the construction of two new buildings, a specialist studio and workshop block to allow for the relocation of the media facilities from Clerkenwell, and a new Street building which extends to provide a striking, contemporary entrance to the college.

Story by Lauretta Roberts