Case Study: Hadrian’s Wall Design Sprint 2024
Reimagining heritage through local creativity
In early 2024, the felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree prompted a powerful call to action: How could we inspire new connections to Hadrian’s Wall?
In response, the Hadrian’s Wall Design Sprint brought together local innovators to develop bold, sustainable ideas to reframe how people engage with this world-famous landscape.
What we did
Commissioned by Northumberland Small Business Service and delivered by the Rural Design Centre, the sprint offered:
A £10,000 development award for the winning idea
A six-week support programme with workshops, mentoring, and online resources
A two-day live sprint hosted at Eastburn Enterprise Hub, Hexham
Ten Northumberland-based businesses joined, and seven completed the sprint, collaborating with design professionals and heritage experts to develop product or service concepts that would enhance engagement with Hadrian’s Wall.
Our approach
We used a bespoke design sprint model, co-creating the challenge brief with local stakeholders and framing it around people, place and purpose. The aim was to unlock local creativity while addressing a real tourism and community challenge.
Participants took part in:
Preparatory Zoom sessions
Lightning talks with marketing and heritage experts
A hands-on design sprint to refine and pitch ideas
Key partnerships
We worked in close collaboration with:
Northumberland Small Business Service
Hadrian’s Wall Country
Northumberland National Park
Expert judges included industry leaders from marketing, digital design, and destination development, alongside local business champions and creatives.
The outcome
The winning team, Tyne 2 Summit, created an interactive walking experience designed to engage young people in the history and landscape of Hadrian’s Wall.
Combining technology, storytelling, and outdoor activity, their project stood out for its creativity, feasibility, and long-term potential.
Additional outcomes included:
Positive media coverage, including BBC Radio Newcastle
New partnerships and mentoring links between participants
Development of other strong ideas now progressing beyond the sprint
“Our intention is to change lives in the community through outdoor activities, inspiring local people to become more involved in the great outdoors.”
Impact and legacy
A narrative shift, helping to move public conversation beyond the loss at Sycamore Gap
Community engagement by attracting younger audiences to heritage through experience design
Sustainable tourism, emphasising low-impact, long-lasting visitor experiences
Business growth by supporting local entrepreneurs with mentoring, exposure, and funding
Find out more
Reflections
“The sprint created space for hope and creativity at a difficult time. It opened up new possibilities for how we can celebrate and sustain Hadrian’s Wall into the future.”