Award-winning, Manchester HQ’d regeneration company Urban Splash has unveiled a stylish new sketchbook, exploring concepts for seven key sites across Swansea.
The company was appointed as Swansea Council’s strategic partner in 2021, partnering with creative consultant Miles Falkingham and Liverpool-based Smiling Wolf to establish a dual-language, umbrella brand for the work.
Known as City on the Beach – or Y Ddinas ar y Traeth in Welsh – the campaign leads with the sketchbook which has been distributed to local stakeholders, printed via The Newspaper Club on recycled paper, as well as in digital form.
The sketchbook is supported by a suite of branded, supporting creative materials, including dual-language pin badges – each of which were created using recycled plastics – and digital assets.
Jonathan Falkingham, co-founder at Urban Splash, said: “City on the Beach is a beautifully produced campaign, with a stunning brand that we hope will capture the attentions of potential partners in Swansea.
“It is an invitation to engage and, under the City on the Beach banner, we aim to spark conversation about these seven distinct areas while revitalising Swansea as a whole, creating a seamless city-and-beach experience.”
Simon Rhodes of Smiling Wolf added: “The brief was to create something bold, colourful, and memorable that would capture attention locally. From the outset, Urban Splash was clear that this shouldn’t be a fixed brand, but rather a proposition that local people could embrace and weave into the city’s identity.
“City on the Beach encapsulates that vision, and the sketchbook is beautifully designed to present ideas that inspire creativity and invite local people to join the conversation.
“Aesthetically, we chose a vibrant, multi-coloured palette as an abstract representation of Swansea’s diverse landscape – from the sea and green spaces, to the city’s urban areas.”
At the heart of the proposals is Swansea Central, where the first phase of development has received planning permission. This will include a five-storey, 47,964 sq ft public sector hub, featuring retail or restaurants at ground level and commercial office space above.
Swansea Civic Centre is another key element, with a vision for a City Waterfront district that positions Swansea’s five-mile beach as the city’s defining attraction, drawing visitors while creating a vibrant place to live, work, and relax.
Also included is the Hafod Copperworks site, which it is hoped will become a destination for active leisure and heritage-led visitor attractions. Additional sites include St Thomas, envisioned as a green wildlife corridor with riverside homes; Salibridge, a modern coastal community near the city centre; Oxford Street, a mixed-use city centre site; and The Promenade, offering seafront apartments as the final piece of the vision.
Swansea Council selected Urban Splash as strategic partner following the company’s 30 years of regeneration experience across the UK. Jonathan Falkingham concluded: “We position ourselves as a long-term stakeholder, prioritising longevity in our designs and working with great partners on the ground to deliver something that will stand the test of time.
“Places are about people, so alongside sustainable, modern designs, we also nurture nature, culture, and community – the elements that create long-term value. This ethos underpins the sketchbook for Swansea, and we are excited to engage with local stakeholders as we work together to bring this vision to life.”
