North Essex Heritage is leading the campaign to save Balkerne Water Tower, affectionately known as Jumbo, and bring this iconic structure back into a sustainable, community-focused use. With its rich history and striking presence, Jumbo has the potential to become a major heritage attraction for Colchester and beyond.
BRANDING | WEBSITE | MARKETING | GUIDELINES | ILLUSTRATION | PHOTOGRAPHY
Phelan Barker was commissioned to design and develop two interconnected websites, one for North Essex Heritage and the other for their flagship restoration project, Jumbo. The goal was to ensure both sites functioned seamlessly together while maintaining their individual identities.
In addition to the digital platforms, we led the brand development and created supporting marketing materials. While the original Jumbo logo effectively referenced the iconic structure, our challenge was to enhance brand consistency, improve legibility, and give the identity greater visual impact.
At the heart of the brief was the creation of a bold and memorable logo that would capture the essence of the project. The websites needed to clearly communicate both the commercial and cultural potential of the initiative, while offering an engaging and intuitive user experience. In addition, we developed flexible brand guidelines to ensure consistency in how the identity is applied across various platforms and communications.
Both the Jumbo and North Essex Heritage brands were initially supplied by the client. Our role was to refine and modernise these identities, ensuring they felt contemporary while still respecting their original character and intent. In doing so, we developed comprehensive brand guidelines and practical toolkits designed to empower the client to implement the identities consistently and accurately across all touchpoints.
Alongside this, we designed and built the accompanying website experiences using a mobile-first approach, prioritising clarity, usability, and accessibility across devices. A strong, structured grid system underpinned the design language, drawing inspiration from Jumbo’s distinctive architectural form. This provided a cohesive visual framework that not only reinforced the brand’s identity but also created a sense of order and rhythm throughout the digital experience.
The result is a striking and iconic visual identity, including a custom logo and logotype inspired by the unique architectural features of the historic tower. We delivered two fully responsive websites designed to complement one another, each reflecting the character and construction of the architecture they represent. A full suite of brand guidelines and marketing assets was also developed, providing a strong foundation for future communications, fundraising efforts, and public engagement.
