Crystal clear

Liverpool-based design consultancy Uniform took a more abstract and visual route for its promotional ÙCrystalÝ film for Foreign Office ArchitectsÝ first UK project, the Trinity EC3 office scheme in the City of London.

The restaurant at Beetham OrganisationÝs Trinity EC3 development.

Uniform has become one of the best of its kind offering design, film, brand and image services to forward-thinking clients in the architecture, retail, arts and fashion sectors. Some of its recent high-profile projects include marketing campaigns for Beetham Tower Manchester, the tallest residential building in the UK, and the Liverpool One development for Grosvenor; and branding and design for the Liverpool stand at MIPIM, a property exhibition in Cannes.

Uniform has spent the past two years largely focused on film projects for which it uses Autodesk 3ds Max 3D modelling and animation software and Autodesk Combustion desktop visual effects software. The company has recently produced a film, shot entirely in HD, to promote Foreign Office ArchitectsÝ first UK project, the Trinity EC3 office scheme in the City of London. The development will consist of three glass office buildings and is being developed by luxury property developer Beetham Organization. The prime office scheme will also allow direct access to Aldgate tube station, a new bus station, as well as shops, restaurants and a 23rd floor panoramic conservatory with unrivalled views over The City.

Beetham Organization commissioned the film to help launch its proposal for Trinity EC3 at MIPIM 2007. They wanted a film that would inspire and engage people ahead of the buildingÝs completion in 2013. Beetham Organisation has worked with Uniform for several years but had never commissioned a film before. They were keen to see what Uniform could do based on its previous film and animation work for other clients. UniformÝs creative director Laurie Jones explains: ýOur approach with other clients has been to react to briefs in a creative and challenging way which isnÝt often the case in our industry. ItÝs this approach that ensures weÝre a design agency and not a visualisation company.¯

Inspiration

There was no set brief, rather an ongoing discussion between Uniform and Beetham about general criteria such as location, transport links, style, historical issues and floor space. These criteria were filtered down to the core purposes ± which were to build the brand of Trinity EC3 as a high value, design-led development, and portray its location as part of the London City ÙclusterÝ.

The three glass edifices will be highly noticeable and director of Foreign Office Architects Alejandro Zaero-Polo stresses: ýThis is not going to be another high-rise statement. The crystalline aesthetics create the possibility of playing games with reflection and transparency across surfaces that are not vertical ± the default condition in the city. Tilt the surfaces towards the ground and they become more transparent; tilt them towards the sky and they reflect more light. This creates a kaleidoscopic world where different activities around the buildings and inside the buildings will be brought together as impressions of the City.¯