Uncovering the Past…..
Heritage, History and Tradition – For our 21 from 21 series, we’re looking at the branding, signature brochures, website and marketing collateral we developed for the Bargate Quarter in 2016/17.
Bargate Quarter is an ambitious mixed-use development from Tellon Capital in the heart of Southampton which will include 8,000 sqm GLA of shops and house 500 residential units, retail, bars, cafes and restaurants. The project would bring parts of the 1,000-year-old city walls back to life and reconnect Southampton city centre. Our challenge was to eradicate the legacy of a failed 1980s covered shopping centre and to help deliver Tellon’s vision for a vibrant, aspirational, open air scheme that celebrated Southampton’s heritage.
So, what was the story behind the Bargate? Our first task was to research the history of the Grade I Medieval Gatehouse which involved discovering the legends about the two lion statues that guard the entrance and exploring the symbolism in the heraldry that boldly decorates the archway. So much history had also passed through, from Henry V on his way to the battle of Agincourt in 1405, Henry VIII and Gardibaldi, through to armies marching through in both World Wars.
Inspired by history, we created a contemporary visual identity that incorporated symbols of the past in a modern shield design, and a suite of marketing materials using a vibrant yet classical red colour combined with a timeless typeface.
Tellon Capital revealed Bargate’s new branding at Revo 2017 where it received an extremely positive reception. We can’t wait to see the project come to life soon!