If you’ve walked downtown in the last week, you’ve probably seen them: seven new public water refill stations standing on corners from Pike Place to Pioneer Square, wrapped in vibrant artwork by Seattle artist Stevie Shao.
We’re proud to share that AlphaGraphics Seattle managed the production and installation of the graphic wraps for Seattle Public Utilities — turning seven utilitarian columns into public art that will greet hundreds of thousands of FIFA World Cup visitors this summer.
As featured in
“Seattle adds free downtown water refill stations ahead of FIFA World Cup”
By Melissa Santos · May 11, 2026 · Read the article →
The Project at a Glance
- Client: Seattle Public Utilities
- Artist: Stevie Shao (Seattle)
- Our scope: Large-format print, finishing & on-site installation
- Volume: 7 stations across 7 downtown locations
- Where you can see them: 1000 2nd Ave · 501 Olive Way · 1398 3rd Ave · 898 3rd Ave · 298 James St · 100 Pike St · 201 Occidental Ave
Seattle Public Utilities launched the program to help residents and visitors stay hydrated during summer heat waves and to cut down on single-use plastic bottles — a need that grows exponentially with FIFA World Cup crowds arriving in June.
Why This Wasn’t a Simple Print Job
Wrapping a curved, vertical, outdoor surface that lives on a downtown sidewalk for years takes more than a great printer. It takes a print partner who can think through four things at once:
Color fidelity to the artist’s vision. Stevie Shao’s illustrations are detailed and color-rich. Our wide-format workflow holds the artwork true across every panel — no muddy blues, no washed-out greens.
Outdoor durability. Specified vinyl and laminates rated for years of Pacific Northwest sun, rain, salt spray, and the occasional graffiti wipe-down.
Compound-curve installation. Wrapping a tapered column is a different craft than flatstock signage. Our install team handled every seam, joint, and transition by hand.
Downtown logistics. Permits, pedestrian flow, working around active sidewalks — managed end-to-end so SPU’s team didn’t have to.
Install in progress. On-site wrap application — applied panel by panel, by hand.
Artwork detail. Wide-format reproduction holds Stevie Shao’s color palette and fine line work true.
What Could Your Brand Look Like at This Scale?
Most of our customers know us for business cards, brochures, and direct mail. Fewer know we also print and install some of the largest graphics in downtown Seattle — from construction barricades and storefront windows to interior wall murals and event environments.
With FIFA World Cup crowds arriving in June and the full summer event season after that, this is the moment to think about your brand at a different scale.
Large Format & Install — A Quick Tour
Six of the formats we print and install most often. All produced and applied by our team. Explore our project gallery →
Building & Window Graphics Storefronts, full façades, and retail interiors. Optically clear films, perforated mesh, and weather-rated full-bleed graphics. |
Wall Graphics & Murals Interior walls, lobbies, breakrooms, retail environments. Brand-true color, clean installs, full-bleed coverage. |
Construction Barricade Graphics Branded site fencing up to 8 ft tall and 187+ ft long. Turn construction barriers into a billboard. |
Specialty Installations Planters, cabinets, public infrastructure, and other one-off surfaces. Print and install, custom-fit to the project. |
Floor Graphics & Decals Wayfinding, brand activations, and retail floor branding. Slip-rated for high-traffic environments. |
Event Signage & Pop-Ups Banners, step-and-repeat, hanging signage, branded environments — printed, kitted, and installed. |
Why Customers Choose Us for Large Format
One partner, print to install. Design support, wide-format production, finishing, and installation under one roof — one PO, one point of contact.
Color-true reproduction. Our newly installed HP Indigo 18K, plus our wide-format platform, give us the gamut to honor an artist’s or brand’s exact palette.
Install crews who do this every week. Storefronts, walls, barricades, and the occasional unusual surface — clean installs, on schedule.
Local, in your backyard. Based on the Seattle waterfront. Site walks, mockups, and rush installs happen the same week.
“Windows, walls, barricades, public infrastructure — send us a brief and we’ll scope the right approach for your project.”
Got a Surface in Mind?
A storefront. A delivery van. A lobby. A jobsite fence. A trade-show booth. A column outside your building. If you can picture it branded, we can probably print and install it — and we’d love to walk it with you.
Have a target install date? Talk to us early — building the schedule together is usually the difference between a smooth install and a stressful one. With FIFA arriving in June, the calendar fills up fast.