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The design agency behind the rebrand of a number of oversized wayfinding totems at Manchester’s Exchange Quay has detailed the thinking behind the project
A standout feature of Manchester’s Exchange Quay business and office park has been its large-scale wayfinding totems, with ‘giant’ arrows installed as part of a refresh project completed in 2021.
Once a uniform, monochromatic orange, taken from the business park’s feature brand colours, the striking totems have now been transformed as part of an environmental branding scheme by architectural design agency, Jasper Sanders + Partners.
The transformative signage and graphics project was installed by Zenith Signs, a Tadcaster-based sign-maker which offers a full service including external and internal signage, wayfinding, window manifestations, and wall graphics.
According to Jasper Sanders + Partners, the new totems aim to “form a vibrant, contemporary and ever-changing experience of colour, angles, and light, mirroring the campus’s fluid interchange of people, work, and ideas.”
Explaining the concept of the installation, Jasper Sanders, founder of Jasper Sanders + Partners, says: “This new, place-making evolution reimagines the campus’s garden setting through a sophisticated and thoughtful approach to colour and composition.
“Working alongside our client, Till Asset Management, we sought to link the interiors of the seven landmark buildings directly to the landscaped gardens between them, fostering a dynamic and connected sense of place.”
Each steel totem features a spectrum of interconnected colours, which were selected following detailed colour studies, with different hues and tones on every face.
The varied colours of the totems aim to transform them from functional wayfinding signage into attractive sculptural forms within the landscape.
Lead designer on the project, Nathalie Kenning, reportedly approached her colour study in the form of a branding exercise, in order to create an identity for each totem that related to nearby tenants and their branding.
The colour palettes, which were designed to work with the existing architecture, were also inspired by sculptures and the surrounding landscaping.
Kenning explains: “Each totem is context-specific and relates directly to the building it announces, reflecting its internal character while also maintaining a collective identity with the other totems across the campus.
“Like the individuals who work within Exchange Quay, each one is distinct yet connected, reinforcing the idea of collaboration within a greater whole.”
Beyond the wayfinding remit, the redesign of the external architecture also extended to the external podium level, where a series of four former smoking shelters have been repurposed as outdoor meeting and social spaces.
Kenning adds: “The new treatment encourages a slower, more reflective engagement with the Exchange Quay surroundings. Whether seen from the ground, glimpsed from the office spaces above, or passed through at pace, they succeed in holding the viewer’s attention and remain engaging over a longer period of time.”
