Groupe Leçon brews up redevelopment job

Groupe Leçon has created a brand identity and is designing marketing literature, signage and street furniture for the £20m redevelopment of a landmark site in central Cardiff, work on which begins this week.

The project is a mixed retail, leisure and residential development on the site of the old Brains Brewery, which stopped brewing last year after over 100 years. Countryside Properties is redeveloping the brown field city centre site with 42 residential units and about 5295m2 of commercial space divided into seven bar and restaurant units and five retail units. It is scheduled for completion at the end of 2002.

Groupe Leçon won the project, which is understood to be worth about £60 000, following a credentials presentation. It has already produced a visual identity that will be used on promotional literature, signage and hoardings around the construction site. Groupe Leçon design director David Letts says that the brief was to develop a brand identity that would have longevity.

Groupe Leçon is also developing street lighting, wayfinding and general signage, lighting designs and tensile structures.

The development will concentrate on food and drink, with retail given over to delicatessens and other food sales.