Air Design works on Chinese retail destination branding

Air Design has been appointed to work on branding, wayfinding and digital strategy for the Wuhan Tiandi Riverview Plaza retail destination on the east coast of China.

The consultancy was appointed to the project folllowing a credentials proposal last autumn, having been recommended by another Chinese client.

Air Design’s Shanghai office opened last autumn headed by director David Kemp, who has moved to the city. He will be working alongside freelance Chinese designers, though much of the work will still be driven from the London office.

The Wuhan Tiandi Riverview Plaza project will see Air Design developing name recommendations, designing the brand identity and later advising on the wayfinding and digital strategies. The branding will be seen across all touch points including hoardings, lettings brochures and the website.

The 100 000 m2 space features high-end retail, leisure facilities, offices, hotels and restaurants. Air Design will initially be working on the retail area, and it is not known at this stage who will be working across the other areas.

Rose Marshall, Air Design marketing manager, says, ‘The identity had to be quite high-end but without alienating the local market, as apparently they are quite keen to get an aspirational feel to that kind of space – obviously the Western look is quite appealing.

‘It’s about getting the balance between the Chinese style that looks cool and conceptual to us but to them, looks a bit dated.’

Wuhan Tiandi Riverview Plaza is due to open in 2013.

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