LEWISHAM DO HAVE GUIDELINES FOR SHOP FRONTS

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/Environment/Planning/PlanningPolicy/LocalDevelopmentFramework/ShopFrontDesignGuide.htm

And they are good!

GREENING THE NABOURHOOD CENTRE

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y274/leenewham/avignon.jpg

Just thought I’d throw this out there for comment. If the Nabourhood centre was covered in the green wall system it would cost between £450 to £600 per m2 (I’ve contacted some companies). I roughly estimate that the nabourhood centre is between 40-50m2 that needs covering. So it will cost between £18,000 to £30,000 to use the green wall system on the nabourhood centre. It reduces heat loss and helps keep buildings cook in the summer. It reduces noise. It’s VERY low maintenance. It stops graffiti. It doesn’t need painting. It encourages butterflies etc. It doesn’t damage the building. I know I’m going got get stick from some quarters which I’m fine with because of the Mosaic, which I disagree with (but I think Valerie has done an admirable job in bringing it to the stages of reality). I simply think it’s worth investigating an alternative. If we think it’s worth pursuing this I will. What do you think? Should I pursue it further?

WHAT IF no7: LADY METROS BECOMES GIFT BOX

I don’t know much about this new store except it sells gifts. I guess most people know very little about it as it doesn’t have a sign. When the shutters are shut it doesn’t even look like it’s a business. This is what it currently looks like:

The shop without a face

I presume that once this was once one shop. I think it would be wise to live in harmony with Desire next door and make the sign one colour. Otherwise it’s a bit like those houses that try too hard to be different from their neighbours and you get a drainpipe painted in two different colours.

One other pet hate of mine are roller shutters that completely cover the front of the shop. They make high streets look like prisons. But you can turn a negative into an advantage by painting it.

So a shop without a sign becomes giftbox…

And how it could look

WHAT IF no6: KENTE COFFEE SHOP

Kente is a great little coffee shop in the high street. We are lucky that we now have a few good places to go (although I wish some were open late!).

When I posted the original Deli what if it caused quite a lot of debate which led to calls for Kente to change it’s sign.

This is what Kente looks like at the moment:

Kente before makeover.

It’s blue and yellow signage look more appropriate for estate agents sign that sits above the shop.

Look inside Kente and you will find old travel posters like these:

The lights inside have an art deco feel to them.

So I’ve picked up on some of these visual cues with the type. Colours are warm and inviting golds and reds on a roasted brown background which are colours more associated with coffee. Look at coffee packaging and a majority of it uses browns, blacks, reds and golds/yellows.

The sign would be better on wood rather than the shiny plastic background currently used.

Which could look something like this:

Stage 1

Colours are adjusted (background of sign is very dark ‘roasted brown’), logo is gold with deep rich red-ish brown type for kente. Type is adapted from some type on old travel posters, hand drawn bespoke for this, it’s not just a font!

WHAT IF: no1 the ‘nabourhood’ centre

This is my first ‘what if’.

I may do more if it’s well received and who knows, perhaps the council will take notice.

The Nabourhood centre (this is it’s current name,  I’m not renaming it for this, I know it’s an odd name and many people hate it!)

What if the Nabourhod centre (this is what it currently looks like)…

May 2009

…was painted and had a bit of TASTEFUL signage so people actually know what it is!. Is it that difficult or expensive to do? Some nice proper phone boxes would be nice in such a prominent location, remove the damaged and tired railings etc.

Costs between £2000-3500

And perhaps it’s worth changing the net curtains in the window. How about some fresh different coloured vertical blinds to bring a bit of colour to the high street?

Added blinds in different colours.