StudioDBD Unveils 'Made in Makerfield' Identity for Ashton Square Regeneration

StudioDBD, led by David Sedgwick, has developed a new visual identity for Ashton Square, a £6.6m regeneration project in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, UK. The project transforms a former car park on the site of the town's historic market ground (chartered in 1284) into a flexible public space with kiosks, greenery, market stalls, and event areas, due for completion next year. The identity, titled 'Made in Makerfield', draws inspiration from the town's history of making—hinges, locks, files, coal, weaving, and ironwork—and features bespoke typography inspired by mechanical forms, warm colors, and 'people-first' photography. It includes ribbon-like forms referencing the town's Walking Day tradition, where families bought ribbons at the market to make decorations. The brand is intentionally 'unfinished', designed to be shaped by the community through a storytelling platform that local businesses and groups can use. An 'Art Corner' space, created with Outhouse and Everyday Wigan, offers workshops and community engagement during construction. The project responds to local feedback that the town looked 'dated and tired' and aims to be 'confident without being corporate'. The media attention on the town during the by-election that made Andy Burnham Prime Minister overlooked this ongoing transformation.