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Belgrave Road Shopfronts Vertical S.pdf (3.53 MB)

Colour Analysis of Retail Signage and Shop Fronts on Belgrave Road

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posted on 2017-08-11, 11:01 authored by Johnny Xu
This data is part of visual outcome of my PhD project: How Does Colour Contribute To Constructing Identity of Place in Urban Environments. The case study of Belgrave Road presents visual research and colour analysis of a street scape in Belgrave area of Leicester, UK.

110 retail shops have been investigated which cover the area of the shopping strip along Belgrave Road. The units of even number from 30A-198: in total 54 shops; the odd number from 41-155: in total 56 shops.

The photographic documentation captures the shop signage, window display, shop front, architectural details and random advertisement on the front of the shop. All these influential elements form up a brand image of the retail and in tureen it has frat visual impact on a streetscape.

The colour analysis shows that each individual shop consists a clear and prominent colour theme, in large scale, there is no visual controlling in a coordinated way. The colour of the shops next to each other causes high colour contrast, which is seen as a colourful scene of the street.

According to my statistics, the top three businesses are Food and beverage (23 shops), Fashion (23 shops) and Jewellers (21 shops). The majority of business is independently run, with a limited number of national retailers present (LCC, 2016). Most of the shops are operated by Indian ethnic groups according to my observation.

The photograph captures the design elements and details of the shops that provides an evidence to explain the unique brandscape of Belgrave Road is dominated by Hindu culture. These reflective elements include text, graphics, patterns, symbols, ornaments and decoration of the shop are considered as meaningful signs. The symbolic expression is also great through colour and cloud symbols. For example, the shinny gold and saffron colour are often used for signage, because both colours are related to myths of Gods in Hindu religious, which symbolise the purity and represent religious abstinence.

Apart from the reason of differentiating the shop and catching more attention, the shops use more vibrant and bright colour which has its historical preference in their colour culture. In the interview, one of the shop owners believes the bright colour symbolises the bright future and good fortune.

Indeed the authentic and unique cultural resources help to constitute an corporate identity of a retail shop, and extensively it also helps to shape an identity of place.

History

File format

PDF

Camera type

Digital Camera

Geographic location

Belgrave Road, Leicester, UK

Date of image

May 2017