The Dunham School Gym Wall Graphics Makeover

Introduction

The Dunham School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is known for hardworking athletic programs, dedicated staff, and passionate fans who fill the stands to support the Tigers.

The school wanted its gym to reflect that energy. Rather than leave the space with a generic appearance, Dunham saw an opportunity to create a stronger home-court identity, energize the student section, and give fans a visual experience that felt distinctly their own.

BIGSIGNS partnered with The Dunham School to transform the gym with custom MagicFab™ Wall Graphics and BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics. Giant tiger eyes brought “The Tigers Den” student section to life, while a large alma mater mural near the scoreboard reinforced school pride throughout the facility. 

Ready to elevate your athletic facilities? Request a FREE Quote & Mock-Up and discover how BIGSIGNS can transform your venue with custom facility branding.

The Challenge

The Dunham School already had strong athletic traditions and loyal fans, but the gym needed a more distinctive visual identity.

During home games, the stands filled with students, families, and supporters. The school wanted the facility itself to contribute to that atmosphere by creating an environment that felt intimidating to opponents and inspiring to the Tigers.

The student section, known as “The Tigers Den,” provided the perfect opportunity for a dramatic focal point. However, the school needed a design that would do more than simply add a logo to the wall. It had to capture the energy of the Tigers, make an immediate impression, and become a recognizable feature of the gym.

Dunham also wanted to reinforce school spirit beyond game-day excitement. The gym needed an additional visual element that celebrated the institution’s identity and traditions in a way that could be seen from across the facility.

The project therefore had two distinct branding goals:

  • Create a powerful visual centerpiece behind the student section

  • Add a prominent display of the school’s alma mater near the scoreboard

Both elements needed to work together to make the gym feel unmistakably connected to The Dunham School.

The BIGSIGNS Solution

BIGSIGNS worked one-on-one with The Dunham School to develop a coordinated gym branding plan built around the Tigers identity.

For “The Tigers Den,” BIGSIGNS created giant tiger eyes using MagicFab™ Wall Graphics. Positioned behind the student section, the oversized graphic gave the space an intense, energetic presence and made the fan section feel like a true home-court destination.

The tiger eyes served several purposes at once. They reinforced the school mascot, energized students and fans, created a memorable backdrop, and gave visiting teams an immediate sense of entering the Tigers’ home environment.

To expand the branding beyond the student section, BIGSIGNS also created a large wall mural featuring the school’s alma mater. BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics provided a way to transform the existing concrete wall into a prominent school-spirit display.

The mural was placed next to the scoreboard and sized so it could be read from throughout the gym. This gave fans, athletes, and visitors a clear connection to Dunham’s traditions while adding visual interest to a highly visible area of the facility.

Together, the two graphics created a balanced branding program. The tiger eyes delivered excitement and intensity, while the alma mater mural reinforced pride, tradition, and belonging.

Throughout the project, BIGSIGNS answered questions, collaborated with the school, and translated the initial vision into custom graphics designed specifically for the gym.

Products Used

  • MagicFab™ Wall Graphics

  • BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics

Project Highlights

  • Custom gym branding created for The Dunham School

  • Giant tiger eyes installed behind “The Tigers Den” student section

  • MagicFab™ Wall Graphics used to create a dramatic fan-section backdrop

  • School alma mater displayed on an existing concrete wall

  • BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics installed near the scoreboard

  • Mural sized for visibility throughout the gym

  • Graphics coordinated around the Tigers identity

  • Facility transformed without changing the gym’s underlying structure

The Results

The completed graphics gave The Dunham School’s gym a stronger identity and a more memorable home-court atmosphere.

The giant tiger eyes immediately became the visual centerpiece of the facility. Positioned behind the student section, the graphic added intensity to “The Tigers Den” and helped the space feel more connected to the energy of the fans.

Donna Pixley, Athletic Director at The Dunham School, described the impact:

“The Tiger graphic behind our student section makes all the difference in the gym. It is certainly the talk of the town—everyone who sees it is completely amazed and impressed!”

The graphic did more than decorate the wall. It became a recognizable feature that supporters could associate with the Tigers and that visiting teams would notice as soon as they entered the gym.

The alma mater mural added another layer of school identity. By placing the words near the scoreboard and making them large enough to read throughout the facility, Dunham turned a plain concrete wall into a lasting expression of school pride.

Together, the wall graphics helped create a gym that felt more personalized, more spirited, and more reflective of the school community.

The project also demonstrated how multiple graphic applications can work together within one facility. MagicFab™ Wall Graphics provided the bold visual impact needed for the tiger eyes, while BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics allowed Dunham to use an existing masonry surface for a large-scale school-spirit message.

Pixley also praised the customer experience:

“It was a pleasure working with the folks at Big Signs, as they were able to answer all of my questions and produced exactly what we wanted.”

The result was a customized athletic environment that athletes, students, fans, and staff could immediately recognize as home.

Lessons Learned

Build the Design Around a Recognizable Facility Tradition

“The Tigers Den” already had meaning for Dunham’s students and fans. By building the design around that established identity, the school created a graphic that felt authentic rather than added as an afterthought.

Schools planning gym graphics should look for existing traditions, fan-section names, chants, mascots, and slogans that can be translated into visual experiences.

Use Scale to Create Impact

The tiger eyes were effective because they were large enough to command attention from across the gym.

In athletic environments, graphics often need to be designed for long viewing distances. Small details may disappear from the opposite side of the court, while oversized imagery and bold forms remain visible during games and events.

Match the Product to the Surface

The project required graphics for different wall conditions.

MagicFab™ Wall Graphics were used for the dramatic tiger imagery, while BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics provided a solution for the existing concrete wall near the scoreboard.

Selecting a product based on the installation surface helps create a more professional appearance and allows schools to make productive use of challenging areas.

Balance Energy with Tradition

The tiger eyes added intensity and excitement, while the alma mater mural reinforced history and school pride.

Using both types of messaging helped Dunham create a gym environment that appealed to students, athletes, alumni, families, and visitors. Athletic facility branding is often strongest when it combines bold visual energy with meaningful institutional traditions.

Prioritize High-Visibility Locations

The student section and scoreboard area were natural focal points within the gym.

Placing graphics in areas where fans already look helped maximize their impact. Schools should evaluate entrances, scoreboards, bleacher walls, student sections, team benches, and other heavily viewed surfaces before deciding where to invest in custom graphics.

Involve an Experienced Design Partner

A strong idea still needs to be translated into artwork that fits the available wall, viewing distance, facility colors, and intended atmosphere.

Working with BIGSIGNS gave The Dunham School access to a collaborative design process and custom concepts tailored to the gym. That support helped the school move from an initial vision to a finished result that met expectations.

Why MagicFab™ Wall Graphics?

MagicFab™ Wall Graphics help schools and athletic programs transform large interior walls into high-impact branding features.

For The Dunham School, MagicFab™ provided the visual platform for the giant tiger eyes behind “The Tigers Den.” The graphic turned the student section into a destination and reinforced the intensity of the Tigers brand.

MagicFab™ Wall Graphics are well suited for gymnasiums, athletic corridors, training spaces, field houses, and other interior environments where large imagery can strengthen identity and atmosphere.

Benefits include:

  • Creates bold, large-format interior branding

  • Supports custom mascots, photography, colors, and messaging

  • Transforms underused walls into memorable focal points

  • Strengthens student-section and home-court identity

  • Improves the experience for fans, recruits, and visitors

  • Helps athletic programs create a more professional environment

  • Supports coordinated branding across multiple facility areas

  • Adds visual impact without major construction

Why BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics?

BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics help schools turn concrete and masonry walls into valuable branding surfaces.

At The Dunham School, BlockWrap™ was used to display the school’s alma mater near the scoreboard. This transformed a plain wall into a highly visible statement of tradition and pride.

The product is especially useful for gym walls, stadium concourses, field houses, athletic corridors, and other facilities where concrete surfaces may otherwise remain unbranded.

Benefits include:

  • Makes productive use of concrete wall surfaces

  • Supports large-scale school messaging and graphics

  • Creates a cleaner, more finished appearance

  • Reinforces traditions, values, and school identity

  • Adds visual interest to high-visibility areas

  • Coordinates with other athletic wall graphics

  • Enhances existing facilities without structural renovation

  • Provides long-term branding value

Why BIGSIGNS?

BIGSIGNS helps schools, colleges, athletic departments, and sports organizations transform ordinary facility surfaces into custom branding opportunities.

With award-winning design, custom manufacturing, premium materials, nationwide experience, and a collaborative creative process, BIGSIGNS develops solutions around each customer’s facility, identity, and goals.

For The Dunham School, that meant listening to the vision for “The Tigers Den,” selecting the right graphic products for different wall surfaces, and creating a coordinated result that energized the gym while celebrating school tradition.

Ready to Transform Your Facility?

Your gym walls can do more than define the boundaries of the space. They can energize fans, celebrate traditions, strengthen recruiting, and give athletes a true home-court environment.

Request a FREE Mock-Up from BIGSIGNS and see how MagicFab™ Wall Graphics, BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics, and other custom athletic branding solutions could transform your facility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can gym wall graphics include custom mascots and school imagery?

Yes. Custom wall graphics can feature mascots, logos, school colors, athlete photography, slogans, traditions, and other approved branding elements.

Can graphics be installed on concrete gym walls?

Yes. Products such as BlockWrap™ Concrete Wall Graphics are designed to transform suitable concrete or masonry surfaces into branded displays.

Where should gym graphics be installed for the greatest impact?

High-visibility locations may include student sections, scoreboard walls, entrances, bleacher areas, team benches, corridors, and other spaces frequently viewed by athletes and spectators.

Can multiple wall graphic products be used in one facility?

Yes. Different products can be coordinated to address various wall materials, locations, and design goals while maintaining one consistent branding system.

Do gym wall graphics require a major facility renovation?

No. Custom graphics can significantly improve the appearance and identity of an existing gym without changing the facility’s underlying structure.