The premise
Bristol Temple Quarter is one of the UK's largest regeneration projects, transforming 135 hectares of brownfield land to create 10,000 new homes, thousands of new jobs and bring £1.6bn annual income to the city economy
Bristol City Council and the Bristol Temple Quarter team approached me to create the new brand identity for the project. Their aim: to develop a bold, vibrant and flexible design system with which to launch the venture.
With stakeholders including Network Rail, Homes England and West of England Combined Authority, this project required the integration of multiple viewpoints and priorities, to achieve individual and combined goals.
The project
The concept
Gateway to the city
Walking the Temple Quarter area for research, I was struck by the repeating archway motifs in the architecture, both old and new. From Temple Meads station, to Temple church, to the old factories lining feeder canal and the warehouses on the avon, the arches are an integral part of the built environment providing a sense of place – a sense of the rich history. The arches also reflected the old city gates, including Temple Gate.
This sparked the concept of the project providing a ‘Gateway to the city’ – in a metaphorical sense (opening up to new businesses, developments and residents) and a literal sense (the regeneration of Temple Meads, the key transport hub and access point to Bristol).
From that starting point, I crafted a logo and identity to encapsulate the ambition and excitement of the Bristol Temple Quarter development.
Esther was brilliant to work with – she got to grips with what we were trying to do straightaway and came up with concepts that really matched our brand strategy and reflected where we were as a project. She seamlessly navigated a complex project with a range of partners and senior stakeholders, all of whom have strong views on the project’s identity and how it presents itself to the outside world.
Esther worked really well to a tight deadline, helped by a strong presentation to the Board on the rationale and process to reach the new visual identity, that meant we received unanimous approval and were able to roll the new identity out quickly. We are now the proud owners of a clear brand identity that is supported across the partnership, with a set of brand guidelines that are easy for partners and stakeholders to understand and use.
– Clem Teagle, Head of Communications and Engagement, Bristol Temple Quarter LLP
Project aspects
Logo Design
Brand Identity Design
Copywriting