Branding for a new cultural hub inspired by brutalism and community artwork

We must not turn a blind eye. In many cases, our city centres are no longer what they used to be. The dual onslaught of online shopping and remote working means that many people no longer travel to the city as often. Local authorities must think carefully about how to deal with this problem. Otherwise, the consequences for social and public life could be very serious.

So it’s great to see that Stockport is preparing for the addition of a new building to its town centre with the upcoming launch of Stockroom, a new cultural hub. It will soon open in the Merseyway Shopping Centre and will house a library, children’s learning space, café bar and much more.

The project, led by Stockport Council, aims to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all residents. With this in mind, they commissioned Manchester-based design studio StudioDBD, founded by David Sedgwick, to develop the brand identity, working closely with strategists Martin Carr and Graham Lister to bring this vision to life.

The brief was to design an identity that felt integral to the fabric of Stockport whilst incorporating more fun elements, such as bright colours and illustrations, to keep it lively and engaging.

Graphic elements

The city council wanted the Stockroom’s identity to reflect a versatile space where diverse experiences and events could take place. Therefore, the branding needed to be accessible, inclusive and adaptable. StudioDBD’s designs deliver on this promise brilliantly.

The word ‘Stockroom’ can be broken down into two parts: ‘Stock’, representing the location on the ground in Stockport, and ‘Room’, symbolising a place where various activities and interactions can occur.

The two O’s in the center of the word evoke the idea of ​​openness, embodying a framework for the vision of the space. They also serve a useful function for presenting various contents and visuals. This fits perfectly with the mission of the center, which is defined by the activities and people who live there.

More broadly, the striking logo draws inspiration from the brutalist architecture of the shopping mall that houses the company. The typography reflects the large rectangular structures that crown the building, paying homage to the past while looking to the future.

Public participation

Unusually, Stockroom also involved the local community in its design process. A workshop held in the Merseyway shopping centre invited members of the public to illustrate their visions for the space.

Tables with paper and pens were set up in the heart of the shopping centre, just outside the future Stockroom store. Stockport residents were then invited to draw what they wanted to see in the building. They brought a wide variety of ideas, from books, food and drink to flowers, furniture and even simpler doodles such as scribbled lines, smileys, clouds and hearts.

The best drawings were then selected as the starting point for the illustrative aspect of the brand. Originally, the plan was to have an illustrator redraw everything from these drawings.

However, the simplicity and freedom of expression of the original drawings really worked and they became part of the group. They were scanned and loosely traced using Procreate on iPad, and the result remained more faithful to the original community illustrations.

Tone of voice

The centre offers simple activities such as reading books or enjoying a coffee, with the aim of breaking down the barriers often associated with cultural spaces. This approach aims to make everyone feel welcome, regardless of their age, background or interests.

It was essential to strike the right tone from the start. Stockroom’s target audience is everyone, regardless of gender, age, background or ethnicity. So, it was essential to strike a simple, straightforward tone to resonate with everyone.

The language used is therefore authentic and honest. It was inspired by the concept of a good friend describing Stockroom for the first time (“Oh yeah, we read books and drink coffee in there!”). This became the basis of the text, using a model of two verbs and two nouns to create a rhythmic flow.

Moment of pride

Gwen Riley Jones, Stockroom’s Creative Programme Manager, said he was proud of the brand’s development: “It really reflects the visions and ambitions that Stockport Council have set out for Stockroom,” he said.

“I love that this project has been made with the people of Stockport. One of the cornerstones of Stockroom is ‘with, of and for’ the people of the town, and this is integral to everything we do, including creating the brand.

“It’s what happens here at the Stockroom that really matters. A place is nothing without the people who create it, and the support system is a really clever way for us to continually play with that idea to present a whole range of activities with and for a whole range of people.

“It also has the ability to adapt and grow with the personality of the organization. Flexibility is built into the concept, into the language we use in the parenthetical statements, into our ability to mix and match the logo with illustrations, statements and a range of colors to adapt our tone to different types of businesses while maintaining a strong visual brand identity.”