Introduction
Client: Cookies Island
Industry: Children’s Nursery & Early Years Education
Website: https://cookiesisland.com/ilford/home
Location: Ilford Exchange Shopping Centre, Ilford
Project: Full Signage Package – Hoarding, Illuminated Shopfront Sign & Interior Branding
Objective: To design, produce, and install a modern, nature-inspired signage package that reflects the nursery’s wellness-driven identity while ensuring full compliance with shopping centre regulations.
Client Background
Cookies Island is a newly opened children’s nursery and play centre located within the busy Ilford Exchange Shopping Centre. The brand focuses on a modern reinterpretation of the traditional nursery environment, blending calm colours, nature-inspired visuals, and a wellness-oriented approach. The management team approached Sign Architects to develop a complete signage solution that would bring their concept to life and establish a strong visual presence within the shopping centre.
Challenges
Shopping Centre Compliance:
Coordinating installation within a live shopping centre environment, requiring RAMS, permits, and strict adherence to centre rules.
Brand Interpretation:
Delivering a design that captures the nursery’s modern, nature-themed aesthetic without overwhelming the space with overly bright or conventional children's graphics.
Material & Illumination Requirements:
Producing a high-quality illuminated shopfront sign and large-format hoarding that remain visually striking while maintaining durability and safety standards.
Interior Consistency:
Ensuring interior signage—particularly for Cookies Café—matched the overall brand theme and contributed to a unified environment.
Project Execution
Initial Consultations
Client Meetings:
Discussions with the Cookies Island team to understand their vision, brand personality, colour palette, and expectations for a modern, wellness-focused children’s environment.
Design Requirements:
Creation of signage concepts that reflect the brand’s clean, soft, nature-inspired identity while maintaining professional retail impact.
Design and Planning
Concept Development:
Our team produced visuals featuring nature-themed backgrounds, leaf motifs, and the signature parrot mascot, ensuring consistency across the hoarding, shopfront, and interior signage.
Technical Survey:
Detailed measurements and site assessments were carried out to meet shopping centre safety standards.
Client Feedback:
Designs were refined through structured review sessions to ensure every element aligned with Cookies Island’s aesthetic and operational needs.
Implementation
Material Production:
- High-resolution printed hoarding graphics
- Illuminated shopfront signage with low-energy LED modules
- Custom suspended sign for Cookies Café
- High-quality window and door graphics
RAMS & Compliance:
Submission of Risk Assessments and Method Statements, securing full approval from Ilford Exchange management before installation.
Installation:
All signage was installed with precision by our professional team during controlled hours to avoid public disruption and ensure full compliance with centre regulations.
Results
Enhanced Brand Presence:
The final signage package significantly elevated the visibility of Cookies Island within the shopping centre, creating a welcoming and modern aesthetic that aligns with the nursery’s wellness-oriented identity.
Unified Brand Environment:
From hoarding to interior café signage, each element contributed to a seamless brand experience that parents instantly trust and children naturally gravitate towards.
Client Satisfaction:
The Cookies Island team expressed strong satisfaction with the outcome, praising both the design consistency and the professional installation process.
Conclusion
This project demonstrates Sign Architects’ expertise in delivering fully-integrated signage solutions within complex retail environments. By combining modern design, high-quality materials, and strict compliance processes, we successfully transformed Cookies Island into a standout, contemporary nursery space inside Ilford Exchange.