fuse8 appointed to handle £200m Middlesbrough regeneration project
27/09/2007
The project will see the derelict Middlehaven Docks area between the town’s Riverside Stadium and the Transporter Bridge transformed into a vibrant community featuring state-of-the-art residential, leisure, education, and commercial facilities.
The visionary architect Will Alsop has designed the masterplan for Middlehaven and as usual he has pushed the boundaries of convention. Artists’ impressions show Middlehaven with buildings such as a cinema that resembles a blue Rubik's cube and an office block referred to as 'Marge Simpson's hair'.
The account win is for phase one of the 15 year project – there are fifteen phases in total – and is worth £500,000 in fees. Fuse8 won the pitch after a shoot out against six other top UK agencies by demonstrating its robust brand planning methodology along with fresh and innovative creative work.
Pete Halsall, managing director of BioRegional Quintain, said: “We are leading the way in the development of sustainable communities throughout the UK by combining a dynamic and innovative approach to property development with the application of sustainability principles.
“Middlehaven is a flagship project for our business, so it was important for us to ensure that the marketing organisation we partnered with shared our values and aspirations. During the pitch process, fuse8 clearly demonstrated their enthusiasm for Middlehaven combined with strong strategic thought, excellent creative work and a track record of successful delivery of regeneration projects.”
Fuse8 will provide full strategic support, all creative output, media planning and buying and online support for the project. The team will also work alongside property marketing consultants Inner-Space, whilst public relations will be provided by Leeds-based PR consultancy Radiant which partnered with fuse8 on the pitch.
Fuse8 creative director Andy Hutchinson , added: “The colourful landscape, radical design and leading edge buildings are not just a first for the North East or for the UK – there is nothing to compare it against anywhere in the world.
“We worked very hard to understand the complexity and impact of the scheme before the pitch and that paid off handsomely. We wowed the client with our creative thinking and total understanding of property and regeneration projects of this size and we are looking forward to delivering what we have set out.”