Using communication and design
to connect with people

IT'S ALL ABOUT GETTING
THE MOST REWARDING
EXPERIENCE

out of shopping stores, visiting shopping streets, markets, shopping centres, online, social spaces, lifestyle demands, products, new and different, spending, saving, engaging with others.

Our work

Conceptual thinking, identity, (re)branding, wayfinding and advice.
No project is too large or too small. We work either in the lead or as part of a team. Our objective is to focus, advise and work on diverse and interesting projects.

40 years Hoog Catharijne

Utrecht, The Netherlands

  • Client: Corio
  • Discipline: Conceptual thinking

Time to celebrate
In late 2103, Hoog Catharijne celebrated 40 years. The first major shopping centre in The Netherlands, located in Utrecht, opened its doors in 1973. Since that time the centre has been through many fases and now is engaged in a total redevelopment that is focused on creating HC as a favorite meeting place. Presented is a ‘conceptual thinking’ story that set out to embrace the themes ‘film, fashion, food and future’ in ‘Looking back to the future’.

Airside retailing

CAPI | Nuance

Once you have gone through all the security checks at an airport you arrive in the area which has to attract and invite the traveler. Our involvement has been working for Capi electronic, developing a new identity and retail concept, which led us to design and implement this proposal in the
following airport stores at Amsterdam, Oslo, Capetown and Johannesburg. In addition to this program we have worked closely with the Nuance Group Switzerland, producing new concepts that cover the following sectors, Alcohol,automotive, clothing and specialist retail.

Keeping the team informed has resulted in us producing a trend/style document under the name PULSE which has been circulated digitally, within the group and to selected business connections.

Boulevard Nesselande

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

  • Client: Multivastgoed / Corio
  • Discipline: Identity

A recently completed shopping centre, located by a lake, which has a leisure function. Summer days and the beach is full. The identity produced reflects the spirit of the location and has been used in both 2 and 3 dimensional applications.

Boulevard Nesselande, serving the local and neighbouring communities.

City Marketing

Almere Centre, The Netherlands

  • Client: Almere City Marketing
  • Discipline: Brand Strategy | Identity | Graphics | Signing

What can you find in Almere Centrum?
The challenge has been to change the idea of Almere Centrum as a location, to a destination, that is young vibrant and energetic and has so much to offer. With this in mind, we have taken the slogan ‘het kan in Almere’ and simply added the word ‘centrum’, to place the focus on this key area.

Following a competitive pitch, we were selected to develop and implement our proposals that have included a total branding for each district, city squares, shopping streets, shopping centre, passages and promenade, that forms the ‘centrum’. Having identified each area as one of the stepping stones that lead you through the centre, we have created an image styling that shows the individual offer and character.

A ‘metro’ style map has been developed, to easily illustrate to the viewer how the diverse areas are connected and what a visit can deliver.

De Kazerne

Woerden, The Netherlands

  • Client: Stichting Rabobank Pensioenfonds / CBRE
  • Discipline: Branding

The branding of a former military barracks, that is formed around an inner courtyard and is the backdrop to the main city square. The challenge was to find ways to identify this listed building while working within the guidelines from the city councils ‘beauty commission’. This project has been involved and has been through many stages gaining approval from the commission and now is being implemented in a phased program. New restaurant / retail names, improved lighting that presents the elevation to the city and the name DE KARZERNE applied to this elevation.

Dutch Forces

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  • Client: Sports Vintage BV
  • Discipline: Concept development

Dutch Forces is a men’s casual and sportswear fashion brand. We’ve developed and sold the collection in the Dutch fashion retail market. From the full design of styles, the showroom and sales & marketing. A hands on project from collection concept (styles, colours, fabrics, sourcing) to actual delivery to the assigned dealers.

Heuvel

Eindhoven, The Netherlands

  • Client: CBRE
  • Discipline: Brand Strategy | Identity | Graphics | Signing

A story that began some twenty years ago when the Heuvel Galerie opened in the centre of Eindhoven. Since that time the inner city has evolved, new shopping centres and shopping streets have been created and now the consumer has a wide choice. Today, the Heuvel is engaged in a total rebranding and enlivenment program. The layout and inner circulation is changing, new stores, improved lighting and a shortened name, Heuvel. This is being applied to all entrances, internal signing and wayfinding has changed and the levels and forms of communication in and away from the centre are presenting the new look and feel which will be the driver.

Home Interiors Shopping Centre

DOMUS | Alexandrium

  • Client: MAB France / Netherlands
  • Discipline: Branding, Signing

Two regional home interior & retail shopping centres.

Home Trade Center

Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

  • Client: CBRE
  • Discipline: Conceptual thinking

The challenge to enliven and reposition a trade environment into a destination for consumers,manufacturers and suppliers. This story explains the route we took in formulating the conceptual approach, which places the emphasis on highlighting innovation, trends and products. We avoided the idea of using words such as trade or industry within the name, instead focusing on the home sphere.

Hoog Catharijne

Utrecht, The Netherlands

  • Client: Corio
  • Discipline: Brand Strategy | Identity | Graphics | Signing

Fashion, food, freetime and fun
The start…
A restyling and rebranding of Hoog Catharijne, that has seen introduction of a reworked logo, supported by four themes and the pay off ‘at the heart of Utrecht’.

The next chapter
While the existing centre has continued to operate the new development has gathered a pace, the first phase has been the construction of the De Vredenburg, a stand alone building that comprises housing and retail.

The next generation
The focus has now switched to the existing centre and the total transformation into a key destination for shoppen, meeting, experience. For the background on this story, see NHC ‘The Big Picture’.

Messehof

Leipzig, Germany

  • Client: MIB AG, Germany
  • Discipline: Branding, Identity, Signing

The reworking of one of the traditional passages in Leipzig, Germany. The challenge was to respect the character while enlivening the passage as a retail destination. Messehof required a new retail mix, layout, interior and branding, communication story. Our role has been to create the identity which has been applied to all entrances, internal signing and communication material.

Middenwaard

Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands

  • Client: Corio
  • Discipline: Identity

A rebranding and repositioning in the market of an existing centre.
Having competed in a competitive pitch, we were selected to develop and implement our communication and branding proposals. The first change has been the introduction of a new logotype, together with a new pay-off  ‘in jouw centrum’, meaning ‘in your centre’, so creating the idea of ownership by the shopper, user or visitor. Additionally, the pay-off allows the adding of activity, events. Re – Drive -in movie in jouw centrum.

This identity has been used in all digital and print media and now we’re in the stage of reworking all the entrances, working with the diverse architecture and creating one overall co-ordinated image. Internally a new wayfinding has been introduced and now we are studying and looking at creating interactive/non-active squares, locations for eating, relaxing or simply pause moments.

New Hoog Catharijne

Utrecht, The Netherlands

  • Client: Corio
  • Discipline: Transformation, re-branding, re-positioning

The Next Chapter
Formulating the approach for the redevelopment of Hoog Catharijne, that has covered circulation, layout, retail and leisure content, event spaces and communication.
This involved many work sessions with the project team which culminated in the production of ‘The Big Picture’ which tells and explains the story of the next chapter in the life of Hoog Catharijne. This has been presented by us to the main board of Corio, who have endorsed the approach and our following this route.

Offices

De Kroon | Symphony

Placing the focus on an office building is the real challenge. While the architectural form can make a statement, it is finding the way to express the potential of the inner space to the end user so that the two parts work together. Our involvement has been on De Kroon, The Hague and Symphony Amsterdam. In both cases this has involved us producing the branding, marketing, photo styling for interior and more importantly the special elements that raised the profile of both projects in the marketplace.

Pieter Vreedeplein

Tilburg, The Netherlands

  • Client: MAB Development
  • Discipline: Branding, special features, lighting elements, communication, opening campaign, events

The creation of a new retail, housing and leisure destination in the centre of Tilburg. Connecting the main shopping street, Pieter Vreedeplein now forms a total retail circuit.

Our role as part of the project team was to produce the branding and application of signing both external and internal to this complex. Alongside this work we produced ideas for special features, lighting elements and enlivenment of the location. A total communication program was produced and implemented by us which covered the opening event and campaign.

Post Rotterdam

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

  • Client: Delta Development
  • Discipline: Identity | Marketing

Working as part of the project team alongside, UNStudio, Dunnett Craven and Delta Development Group to produce the retail concept for the former Post Office building. Our scope of work covered the identity, marketing and retail presentation material.

Sqy Ouest

Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France

  • Client: MAB Development
  • Discipline: Branding

A multi-level leisure/shopping centre located in Saint Quentin, a suburb on the outskirts of Paris.
Our involvement in the project team was the concept, design and supervising the implementation of a complete signing and enlivenment program.

Stadshart Lage Zijde

Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands

  • Client: Council Alphen aan den Rijn
  • Discipline: Identity | Branding

Following on from working on the Rijnplein, Hoge Zijde, we were commissioned to develop a branding for the total Stadshart that highlighted both the Lage Zijde and the Hoge Zijde. This project came about as a result of winning a competition. Over the course of developing the identity we have produced specific communication and marketing material for Lage Zijde, as this will be the next phase of the city centre development.

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Westside

Bern, Switzerland

  • Client: Migros / Jos de Vries
  • Discipline: Conceptual thinking

‘Working in partnership with Jos de Vries’, to develop a new communication approach for the shopping centre, Westside. Following on from a study trip, we produced intial ideas for moving this centre forward which have result in the formulation of a digital, printed document which visualises the new direction that this centre will take in the coming years.

Own label

While enjoying working on interesting and varied projects with clients, alongside this work we are evolving and developing a number of concepts in the following sectors:

Eye Walk

Eyewalk – Creating a single view of shopping.

Love Natural

 

The Social Center

These are open to comment, like, discuss, participate, invest in the realisation.

Way of working

From briefing/commission

 

Idea House Concept

Brief
Background study
Strategy
Agree approach

Conceptual thinking

Idea House Design

Proposals
Details
Costs
Approval

Endorsement

Idea House Realisation

Completion
Evaluation
 
 

The result

Our mission

Idea House is the new mission.

Our skill base is all about being able to add value. We act as a catalyst and we like to challenge in the pursuit of finding the right idea. One that all parties embrace and will deliver the correct result.

Front end conceptual thinking, repositioning, branding, re-branding and advice.

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