The Arcadian
PLACEMAKING | BIRMINGHAM
- BRAND
- RETAIL
After a successful pitch against two other leading agencies, we were appointed to partner with property management company LCP to help reposition The Arcadian development.
The life of this project was longer than usual as part of our initial creative pitch offered up some questions to the client, which made them rethink the brief and upscale the whole project.
We began looking at the development with a hint of nostalgia as this was a ‘go to’ destination on a Friday night back in the ‘noughties’ when we first started working in the city. The Arcadian was lacking in the communal atmosphere it once embodied, so we looked at re-introducing this by making the central piazza the social focal point.
The core logo is directly influenced by the circular architecture of the piazza, symbolising an inclusive sense of community and was a recognisable shape. This along with a bold colour palette and clean typography helped to make the project appeal to a broad demographic.
Due to the questions that arose post pitch, a wealth of remedial works took place which helped to reduce the ‘visual noise’ around the development. This helped to give us a blank canvas to apply the brand, which we did with aplomb!
To utilise the existing architecture we applied hand painted way-finding signage directly onto the buildings. Where possible we used anamorphic signage which requires projecting, outlining and hand painting the lettering onto a multitude of surfaces. This process was applied throughout the development and in the car park. Each level was colour coded and extensively branded to help direct customers from the carpark to key venues within the development.
Along with brand and signage, we also delivered a content managed responsive website, comprehensive brand guidelines, videography, photography, copy writing, advertising templates and the design and installation of bespoke reclaimed pallet style furniture and planting in the central piazza.
Special thanks go to:
HNS Signage
PSP
McWilliams Decorators
Abbeyfeale Scaffolding
Lumina Studios
Visit. thearcadian.co.uk
The logo is directly influenced by the architecture of the development and this idea was used as a basis for the entire identity. The circular shape has connotations of inclusivity and community. All brand touch points within the development interact with the architecture in interesting ways.
Wayfinding Signage
The existing carpark had accumulated years of abuse and makeshift signage that had been continually added to and was confusing customers.
We stripped back all existing tired and signage, then each floor in the carpark was colour coded for customers to easily identify. Anamorphic signage was projected and outlined by hand then painted in a specialist paint for walls and floors.
As part of the brand collateral, we created a number of advertising templates to be used to promote events at the development. We used enlarged elements of the logo, clean white space, isolated imagery with minimal type to keep a clean visually dynamic layout.
