Belfast HQ | Retail Finance Sector | Ireland & UK
After a successful design for their 15,000 Sq. Ft. Belfast corporate HQ, we were further engaged to design and project manage their flagship retail unit in a protected building on Dublin’s Wolfe Tone Street and then numerous local retail units throughout the UK and Ireland.
For the flagship branch, we were presented with a space that was dominated by structural columns.
Our design incorporated the columns into the navigation strategy for the space by cladding them in striking angular red panelling with recessed lighting strips (an obvious nod towards the Axa red stripe) they were then detailed with way-finding signage that enabled building users to instantly access the services they required.
Local Nostalgia
A fundamental aspect of our design was to place the Axa brand at the centre of the local community where each unit was located. We researched photographic archives of each area to find relevant images of the environment and its people over the previous decades. The images were then printed to acrylic, mounted on a light box and framed within oak panelling to convey warmth, familiarity and timelessness.
