One of my favorite cities in this world must be Lisbon. The little streets, cobble stones, warm weather, nice squares and the lovely overall atmosphere. Located in the trendiest area of the city, Chiado, The Sandeman Chiado is the place where Porto wine meets food. This restaurant aims to deliver a fantastic gastronomic experience. It’s branding & design studio VOLTA from Porto who got the opportunity to create an outstanding identity to accompany this restaurant.
The idea
Working regularly with Sandeman, VOLTA knew exactly how to tackle this challenge. They already knew the brand and its history. The identity that was eventually created had to be ‘premium’ and ‘inviting’. In order to achieve this, VOLTA worked closely with the interior designer Paulo Lobo.
“Paulo has a very specific language, with shiny surfaces and a great use of light. We worked with him and Sandeman since the beginning, in order for the visual identity to match perfectly with the decor of the restaurant.”
– Pedro Vareta, Creative Partner at VOLTA
What pleases me:
I wanted to feature this particular project because of the striking translation of the restaurant’s atmosphere into the graphic design. Everything in the design tells you that this is a fancy place, one where you can expect high quality food, wine and service. Purely based on the visuals you just know that this place will be worth the money. Of course – as with any restaurant – it’s up to the restaurant owner, staff and cooks to fulfill these expectations. But by having the design aligned with the message you want to deliver, step 1, which is to lure guests in, becomes much easier.
Take-aways
- Make sure the visual identity is aligned with the message you, as a restaurant, want to communicate
- If possible, give the graphic / brand designer the opportunity to work together with your architect or interior designer. Consistency in design is important.
- Dedicate time to create a strong concept: a good concept will last you forever and brings your brand to a much higher level.
“Define a budget with the client for the project (visual identity, decoration, production…). This is essential to understand what type of (applicable) ideas can be presented. It will save every one precious time and make the end result a success for everyone involved.”
– Pedro Vareta, Creative Partner at VOLTA
Did you find this helpful or interesting? Then please leave a comment! Also, if you know any other restaurant which I should check out because of its visual identity, please let me know.
> I post an inspirational example of great restaurant branding every 2 weeks. If you want to stay updated, make sure to become part of the Tremento Tribe.
The pictures used in this blog post come from the Sandeman Chiado Behance project by VOLTA.
