Skip to content

Bluewater Shopper Centre, Greenhithe : Retailer Sign Design

Brief:     Wayfinding & Retail Sign Design
Client:   Landsec
Sector:   Shopping Centre & Retail 

Bluewater shopping centre in Greenhithe, is one of the largest and most successful shopping centres in the UK. It consists of three connected main malls, arranged in a triangular shape – each with its own unique design feel. The Village spurs off from the Guildhall Mall and offers a mix of independent and artisanal retailers, leading into an atrium of casual dining brands. The Velvet Principle was tasked with designing a new distinctive mall wayfinding scheme for The Village, to encourage shoppers to explore beyond the main concourse.

This requirement for a new mall wayfinding scheme coincided with a wider refurbishment programme to lighten the environment. As part of this brief The Velvet Principle also refreshed the retailer brand signage with a contemporary new design.

The form and materials used in the signs, co-ordinate with the finishes within the refurbishment. With an overall design that aligns with the sophisticated nature of the dining brands. High-level copper-coloured signs applied to bulkheads, ensure visibility from a distance. A freestanding totem within the main mall alerts guests to the entrance.  Projecting retailer blade signs are clearly visible in views through the mall, providing greater prominence to the independent retailers, inviting shoppers to enter and explore.

Photo of a diamond shaped retailer branding sign projecting from a column.The sign is faced in grey with white lettering and copper edges
Large totem sign at the entrance to The Village Arcade. The sign is faced in a grey beige colour with a coppery coloured chamfered sides. The content is in white with a copper coloured disc surrounding the directional arrow.
Entrance to The Village Arcade with the high level identification sign and totem at ground level
Blade retailer signs in The Village Arcade in the Bluewater Shopping Centre
Side on view of the totem sign at the entrance to The Village Arcade, flanked by branding on the column.