me&dave has created the new identity for Barts Square, a low-rise mixed-use quarter in the heart of London. The collection of apartments, communal areas, office spaces, retail outlets and a major new restaurant is being developed on a 3.2-acre site close to 800-year-old St Bartholomew's Hospital, and combines sensitively constructed new-builds with redeveloped auxiliary buildings formerly connected to the hospital.
Helical asked me&dave to develop a brand strategy that speaks to a mature domestic market and reflects the rich history and mystery of the neighbourhood, as well as its modern City credentials.
Located in EC1, Barts Square is about as well-connected as it gets, with St Paul's Cathedral, Farringdon Station and the financial district just minutes away. Yet its tucked-away cobbled streets and tranquil courtyards make it feel a world apart; the perfect place to enjoy the City but also escape it if you want to.
"Barts Square offers a characterful alternative to the more 'showy' steel and glass towers being built throughout the capital," said Mark Davis, Creative Director of me&dave. "It is intimate, sophisticated and full of beautiful architectural detail, with glimpses of London's iconic skyline.
"Our challenge was to celebrate this amazing development in a quietly confident way that speaks to an 'inner-directed' consumer who appreciates great design. Helical wanted a direct approach, so we kept things clean and simple to communicate a self-assured, positive message that would appeal to a private, older demographic."
me&dave's creative response captures the development's quiet charm within a vibrant urban area. The brand campaign features heavily in print advertising and is supported by two host brochures - one for the main development and one for the six available penthouses - with beautiful computer-generated images, created by The Boundary, depicting the interiors' 'grown-up,' sophisticated aesthetic. The agency is also producing Barts Post, a free quarterly newspaper outlining the scheme's unrivalled opportunities from a lifestyle and investment perspective.
The marketing suite, art-directed by me&dave, amplifies the brand message, which respects the site's medieval footprint and old-school values while keeping an eye on the future. Located within view of Smithfield Market on the edge of the site, it has a timeline on the walls outlining the area's long history, as well as displays that give an idea of the warm and harmonious materials used - grained timber, polished marble, glazed tiling, and buffed stone.
Photography: Courtesy of me&dave