The Neighbourhood - Manchester design, illustration and animation studio

Last week, Land Securities held an exhibition party to launch Nova - an ambitious and transformative development project for Victoria, London.

Arguably one of the biggest and most important developments to take place in this vibrant area of London's West End, Nova will be the seven-day destination for people who live, work, or play in London.

Branded as "a place for people to think differently", Nova is a distinctive and imaginative scheme collaboratively designed by several notable architectural practices (PLP Architecture, Benson & Forsyth, Flanagan Lawrence, and Lynch Architects). The mixed-use scheme spans commercial, retail and residential, and  will also create and curate a unique cultural space - The Place - as part of its 141% increase in public space at the location.

During phase one in the development of Nova we were commissioned to create imagery to show how this distinctive development might look, specifically bringing The Place and the commercial aspects of the scheme to life. Our Architectural Design Communications team crafted exterior shots that capture day and dusk activities; from boutique shopping to outdoor dining. The images convey the vibrant hustle and bustle of Nova as what will be a unique public and cultural site.

There's lots more to come from Nova and our creative work on the project, so watch this space for further developments!

We're very excited to announce New Work All Play in collaboration with Bruntwood and Manchester International Festival.

MIF13 runs from Thursday 4th July for 18 extraordinary days in unique locations all over the city. The Festival is jam packed with original work and special events across performing arts, popular culture and more. As proud sponsors of MIF, Bruntwood bring you New Work All Play - a live, light projected installation that captures the pulse of Manchester on the run up to and during the Festival.

Visit the New Work All Play teaser site now to whet your appetite for the Festival and experience the journey as the installation unfolds. What's more you'll have the chance to enter an exclusive competition to win coveted tickets to very special MIF13 events including sold out shows The xx and Macbeth.

So get involved, play along, and tell your friends... after all; All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!

@NewWorkAllPlay #nwap

Earlier this year we were commissioned by AMV BBDO to develop their digital storytelling project A Calendar of Tales for the Blackberry Z10® Keep Moving campaign.

Over the last few months we have worked alongside AMV BBDO to create an atmospheric and engaging story hub, where 12 original fan-inspired tales by renowned author Neil Gaiman come to life.

A Calendar of Tales is an ambient, online experience rich with an array of unique content from evocative seasonal backdrops, to artwork created by Gaiman fans around the world.

For a look inside the project see here, or visit the website for the A Calendar of Tales experience.

Back in the 20th century, when the internet was yet to hit the mainstream, and our Ben was studying at architecture school, his main source of design inspiration was to be found within the shelves of journals at the university's library.

His favourite of all was the Architectural Review, with its global outlook, outstanding photography and considered editorial.

And no wonder, at over 100 years old the Architectural Review is an absolute staple for consumers of the art of architecture.

AR's theme this month is "Neighbourhoods", and as a neighbourhood of our very own we were absolutely thrilled to be invited to collaborate on a special supplement for this issue. The supplement focuses on our good friends and esteemed architectural practice Hawkins Brown (previously voted AJ100's Practice of the Year in 2011) who hit their 25th Birthday this month! We worked with the team to create an illustrated cover (in collaboration with illustrator Tracy Worrall) to reflect Hawkins Brown's rich history, body of work, and colourful character.

The story of AR makes for fascinating reading itself, counting such greats as Peter Cook, John Betjeman, and Colin Rowe amongst its history of writers, editors and contributors. Now our very own resident wordsmith Ben Davies has featured with an editorial piece that looks at our relationship with Hawkins Brown, and how we eventually came to create their website for them (see the project here).

We love working with the team at Hawkins Brown, who's democratic, industrious and sociable ethos has led them to forge a distinct and vibrant culture within their practice. In our own studio we share their passion for people, collaboration, and ultimately stories, and this is what we set out to capture in their online home.

To read Ben's article pick up the latest copy of Architectural Review in any good magazine store (or subscribe here) and explore your love for neighbourhoods!

Looks like we grew again!

Say hello to Mark, our newest hoody who joins us as a 3D Artist in the Architectural Design Communications team.

You can read more about Mark on our About Us page, but here are a few things that you really ought to know...

Your role at the neighbourhood in 5 words?
Aiding photorealism in CG environments.

What part of your craft do you absolutely love?
I love it all, start to end. Apart from filling out timesheets...

Chippy Friday or Biscuit Wednesday?
Biscuit Wednesday (extra pop fact - Chocolate fingers are numero uno for Mark)

Favourite Film?
At the moment my favourite film is Oblivion. That may sound stupid but it's mostly because I'm a huge fan of Joseph Kosinski who directed the movie. He started out as a 3D Artist and it just goes to show what you can achieve with hard work.

What's on your 'walkman'?
Right now it would be the new Daft Punk album Random Access Memories.

Any words of wisdom?
"Whether you think you can or you can't, either way you are right."

And finally... Mark also has his own blog, so why not give him a follow here.