Strategy's new identity for a Christchurch shopping precinct is inspired by Five Lanes

Strategy looked to local history and the surrounding area to inspire the new name, Five Lanes, which – in fact – is based on the five lanes that lead into the BNZ Centre where the shops will be based. "Five different laneways, five different stories – all for discovery," as the agency puts it. It also took cues from the brand's vision: 'A unique, curated shopping experience for the curious, the creative, the explorer and the child within us all'.

The resulting logo design also has five "lanes" in it. While a secondary graphic, made up of five lines, was developed to combine with a new colour palette, allowing a flexible identity. These elements are then used in different ways from "bright and vibrant" for the shopping precinct's entrances to a more pared-back look for marketing materials.

To add lots of energy and boldness to the space, Strategy created a dynamic and vibrant wayfinding system. This system uses five bright colours and gives each of the five lanes their own hue. "This tackled two of the major problems at once," says Design Director, Chris Flack. "It made the entrances stand out and made the whole mall complex different from the other spaces in the central city. We combined this with a simple messaging system (gather, shop, eat, dine, explore) that showcased what the space had to offer."

Strategy partnered with Signtech and Make your Mark to install new signage and two 20 metre long hoardings along Colombo St (one of Christchurch's busiest streets) to pull foot traffic down the lanes into the complex.