Summary: A large and derelict industrial estate scarred the centre of Timisoara, one of Romania’s finest cities. A new neighbourhood will replace the scar, combining residential, office, commercial and recreational space. It will thus foster urban regeneration right at the heart of a flourishing business hub and university centre. The brand name we created for this development is a great trigger for its story.
Timișoara (pronounced Timishoara) is Romania’s third largest city. It has always been a progressive, open, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual city that boasted major achievements in science, technology, industry, arts and culture. However, the early post-Communist years have seen many of its industrial and residential estates fall into decay.
As more and more local and global businesses set foot in the city and its student population exploded, the demand for housing soared. Real estate projects mushroomed on the city outskirts, but the locals soon realised that a construction boom doesn’t necessarily translate into quality living. Although thousands of new units come into the market every year, it is very hard to find a flat that is centrally located, well designed, reliably built and decently priced.
Our client is a local entrepreneur with a flawless track record in real estate development. He has recently taken over a huge, derelict industrial estate bordering Timișoara’s historic centre, right on the shore of the river that crosses the city. Instead of squeezing as much as possible to maximise profits, he decided to design and build a landmark project that would redefine Timișoara’s urban fabric. It would bring together over 1,200 flats, over 60,000 square feet of class A office space, a global five-star hotel franchise, as well as large park and commercial areas in a generously spaced project.
The entire estate would be built around the needs of modern-day urbanites, but it would benefit the entire community, not just its occupants:
- Parts of the land plot would be donated to the city to complete a much-needed ring road;
- A wharf and a major bridge would be built on and across the river, respectively;
- Existing urban infrastructure would be rejuvenated;
- Newly developed park and cultural areas would be open to the public;
- Residential buildings would mix flats for everyone, from penthouses to affordable one- and two-beds. And literally everyone living there would be guaranteed a great sight on the river and the city.
Thus, our commission was to brand a real estate project that would dramatically change the face and the life of a city that is proud of its Central European heritage but is also looking forward to its future.
Timisoara
is slated to be the
2021 European Capital of Culture
We conducted extensive qualitative research to investigate the expectations of current and prospective home owners from across the city. The results showed people were not aware of any major project that was at the same time well-built, decently priced and centrally located. And they were even more impressed to learn the new project would give up some of its land to help complete a long-awaited ring road, that it would sponsor a pet area in the nearby public park, that it would create a big, open relaxation area by the river and that it would host and support cultural events.
The brand name, ISHO, is literally TimISHOara’s middle. An uppercase logotype features a single, elongated vertical stroke to further suggest centrality and an outstanding presence.
We wanted a brand name that communicated the central location of the project, but also conveyed a project that is central to the community. A project built with heart, in the heart of the city.
The slogan summarizes the brand promise: The city well lived.
Our work started in Q2 2016 and ISHO will inaugurate in Q1 2017. Over half of the first office space batch is already leased and several dozen flats have been sold, even before the sales team has officially kicked off. They now expect to reach their 2017 target of 400 residential units well ahead of schedule.
