The Co-operative Group has invested in a total regeneration of the land around its Manchester, UK, headquarters. The promise is to create a completely mixed-use area of regeneration in an underused area of the city.

The Co-operative Group briefed us to create a visual identity system and naming strategy for the re-development.

At the heart of the identity is a strong recognizable wordmark, NOMA, an abbreviation of ‘North Manchester’ comparable to Tribeca or SoHo. NOMA breaks the norms of property development naming in the UK, combining Manchester’s heritage and modernity.To NOMA is added the latitude of Manchester - 53°. Giving an immediate reference to its geographical location and a symbol for Mancunians to rally behind, as the area becomes a world-class venue. The wordmark may be used in an equally powerful shorthand version N53°.

As the NOMA brand system rolls out over time it can incorporate images and quotes that reference the rich history of the site but equally can accommodate the images and ideas that are about the future plans. The logo itself is designed to show a subtle progression from a slab serif character through to a serif character, alluding to a sense of progression.NOMA launched to the public at MIPIM in Cannes 8-11 May 2011The identity, with its interwoven and overlayed elements is a perfect expression of the strategy ‘Fabric of a New Society’.