THE BRIEF
To breathe new life into the Mander Centre, a 1960s retail destination in Wolverhampton, UK. To create a new tenant mix that will attract a different profile of shopper and encourage them to stay longer.
At 52,500 m2 gross leasable area, the Mander Centre is the largest shopping centre in Wolverhampton, a lively city with a catchment of over 584,000 residents and attracting over 17 million visitors a year.
The centre was purchased by Benson Elliot in 2014. They commissioned the most significant redevelopment program to date. The £35 million investment includes a new flagship Debenhams department store of 9,400m2, along with 10 other retail stores.
Mander Centre entrance vibrant lighting scheme
The key design features are the main entrances. The introduction of new signage and a vibrant lighting scheme ensures that the centre stands out and is welcoming, attracting visitors both day and night.
The dramatic transformation continues inside with contemporary and intuitive wayfinding signage to enhance the visitor experience, strategically located by newly installed lifts and escalators.
'The design team at GLIMMA immediately understood the brief and ran with it, producing design concepts that hit the mark with all stakeholders, from architects to the individual retailers. Their innovative ideas were readily translated into signage and lighting solutions that have dramatically transformed the Mander Centre, making it the retail destination of choice for the people of Wolverhampton.'
Contemporary and intuitive wayfinding signage to enhance the visitor experience
A customer journey with impact
These environmental enhancements have not only transformed the appearance of the centre but also helped to change shopper behavior. The customer journey is carefully managed, encouraging visitors to stay longer and enjoy the wider food and entertainment experience that the Mander Centre now has to offer.
