Image Credit : Tyrone Branigan Productions (Display Suite)
Project Overview
Frost*collective collaborated with Sydney property developer Romeciti on its highly-anticipated $450 million, two tower, Macquarie Park development. With a clear purpose to build living spaces that inspire life with health, wellness and comfort, Romeciti engaged Frost*collective to create and execute a strategic brand marketing programme to launch the first stage of the 11,000sqm, 357 apartment development to market.
Romeciti wanted the Natura brand to promote the kind of lifestyle that we all aspire to – one that offers elegance and style and that also provides a sense of belonging. Armed with a strategy that supported the notion of connections, with both nature and the community, the design team developed the brand idea and workshopped naming options that focused on Romeciti’s commitment to building and creating ‘green’ residential projects supported by, and using sustainable technology. ‘Natura’ was born.
Frost* collective brought the brand to life through Natura’s brand strategy and all marketing assets. Key deliverables included identity and naming, environmental place-making, incorporating development branding in the sales display suite as well as the development’s EOI and brand websites.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Frost* Collective Project Team
Executive creative director: Vince Frost (Frost*collective)
Creative director: Ant Donovan, (Frost*collective)
Strategist: Jeanne Ogilvie, (Frost*collective)
Client services: Emma Stone, (Frost*collective)
Senior designer: Alex Dalmau, (Frost*collective)
Senior account director: Phil Smith (Frost*collective)
Creative director: Ben Hennessy (Frost*collective)
Environments design director: Maria Briganti (Frost*collective)
Designer: Yvonne Tong (Frost*collective)
Designer: Muriel Ricafrente (Frost*collective)
Production manager: Jason Hughes (Frost*collective)
Frost* Collective Partners
Render Artist Binyan Studios
Lifestyle Photography Derek Swalwell
Display Suite Photography Tyrone Branigan
Other project team members (external)
Architectus was responsible for the architectural design of Natura, with living and communal space interiors designed by Elenberg Fraser, and landscaping designed by Aspect Studios.
Project Brief
Kick-starting the project with a strategy phase enabled the brand story to unfold. We arrived at the core idea of “Human by Nature” pulling out humanity’s deep, unmoveable connection with nature and aligning the brand with an inspired and perfect balance of nature and urban living.
The launch of Natura was hugely successful with 90% of the development selling on the opening weekend - 185 out of 210 stage 1 apartments, including all six grand penthouses. The penthouse sale set a new record for Macquarie Park, with $5.6m at $32,000sqm.
Natura’s generous 700sqm display suite by Urbanite comes complete with branded activations on the journey to entry, signage and graphics. A 40m long external place-making piece was designed and integrated into the entrance approach, to pique public interest and guide visitors and potential buyers to the suite. The concept for this piece focused on the idea of celebrating the existing natural environment, which in particular for the location of the installation, was air and wind. Using a design that consisted of slightly pivoted panels, the installation is an ever-changing brand expression, where different view points allow varying opacities of white and green from the floral behind.
Nest designed and developed the website presenting the Natura brand story aiming to drive leads and visitation to the display suite.
Project Innovation/Need
Kick-starting the project with a strategy phase enabled the brand story to unfold. Frost*collective’s strategy and design team defined the brand, developed the brand idea and workshopped naming options, focusing on Romeciti’s commitment to building and creating ‘green’ residential projects supported by and using sustainable technology.
Natura’s generous 700sqm display suite by Urbanite comes complete with branded activations on the journey to entry, signage and graphics. A 40m long external place-making piece was designed and integrated into the entrance approach, to pique public interest and guide visitors and potential buyers to the suite.
At the end of the sales journey, a large window draws gallery visitors to a view of the riparian corridor, Shrimpton’s Creek. Frost* collective worked with Elenberg Fraser to frame this view with reflective material, giving the visitor a sense of connection with nature and to reinforce the core purpose behind the development.
Frost*collective’s digital agency, designed and developed the website, presenting the Natura brand story aiming to drive leads and visitation to the display suite. The Natura precinct’s unique selection of amenities has been featured, while its compelling proposition of nature and lifestyle have been thoughtfully highlighted throughout the design.
Additional brand executions delivered by Frost*collective are brand guidelines, style guide, advertising, hoarding and signage, as well as residential brochure, penthouse brochure, floor plans, sales folder and boxed gifts containing premium, soy-based candles accompanied with a bottle of sparkling wine, presented in a carry bag.
Design Challenge
Natura sits amongst a prized green oasis in a busy urban landscape. Sitting alongside a lush riparian corridor, the location inspired living spaces with health, wellness and community in mind, with the convenience of surrounding amenity.
A brand making statement for Romeciti, Natura is their largest and most highly-anticipated development to date at 11,000sqm and 334 apartments. Strong local competition from the successful nearby developments of Park One and Prime upped the urgency to make this brand campaign garner attention in a highly competitive postcode in a peak sales period.
Natura is all about unique connections with both nature and those amongst the community. Romeciti wanted the Natura brand to promote the kind of lifestyle that we all aspire to – one that offers elegance and style and that also provides a sense of belonging. By undertaking a strategy phase at the start of the project, Frost* Collective created an authentic and compelling brand story which unfolded and brought to life Romeciti’s vision for building and creating ‘green’ residential projects.
One challenge which required detailed design consideration was the physical configuration of the site. Due to the extremely long path from the site car park entry from Macquarie Road to the display suite entry, external activation needed to be compelling and eye catching to act as a wayfinding element for those trying to locate Natura from other surrounding display suites. Consideration of sight paths and selection of external treatment was critical in creating a consistent journey.
User Experience
The Natura brand has been highly successful, bringing to market a compelling brand proposition built around ‘Human by Nature’. The core attributes of ‘connectivity’ and ‘green’ were interpreted in new ways to create a contemporary luxury brand that garnered a positive response from local owner-occupier buyers.
Frost*collective arrived at the core idea of ‘Human by Nature’ pulling out humanity’s deep, unmoveable connection with nature, which in turn, speaks to the thoughtfulness, respect and the sense of belonging that community offers and essentially creates.
The brand conveys an inspired and perfect balance of nature and urban living, respecting the environment and natural surroundings.
With a focus on sustainability and longevity, Frost* collective designed the front installation as a long term brand and placemaking statement (rather than temporary signage and hoarding) that would continue to be used for both construction hoarding and as a permanent piece for the residential site, outlasting the marketing campaign and becoming an iconic brand representation of the development.
Buyer demand for Natura from the outset was strong; 90% of Natura’s Stage I release was sold on the opening weekend, worth $210 million in sales. and saw a new record set for the most expensive residential property in Macquarie Park, topping $5.6 million at $32,000 per sqm for one of Natura’s Grand Penthouses. Stage II continues to sell and is on target with sales projections.
Marketing - Branded Experience
This award celebrates creative and innovative design for branded experiences intended to persuade an audience to purchase or take some action upon products, ideas or services. Consideration given to the technical, conceptual and aesthetic elements, user experience, audience engagement and message delivery.
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