Introduction
Brand representation can be tricky, especially for architects and interior designers. Sometimes, because of the demands of the client, who may see the brand identity too figuratively, it’s easy to fall into kitsch. I’d like to show you a project of mine that encapsulates both interior design and service design. The project implies representation of a wine company,far away from its vineyard, right into the heart of the city.
What is Brand Representation in Architecture?
The purpose of this brand representation is not to plaster the logo all over tables and chairs. It is to tell a story, to bring a little of the brand DNA from the vineyard right in the heart of the city, carefully, so they don’t disrupt each other. It is to provide a setting for the service that is wine serving.
How do we do brand representation for a wine company?
The wine company is SERVE and it has a complex history. The brand itself has existed for almost 40 years, however the owners, a noble French family, have a history of wine making of over 400 years. The wine brand itself has a specific archetype, directly linked to its founder – The Explorer. The French count wanted to develop his own, independent brand, a fresh start away from his family. After many travels, he chose a specific area in Dealu Mare, Romania. Using a hybrid of traditional techniques with modern technology, the newly founded wine company perfected several species of plants that lead to a very specific collection of wines.
This piece of trivia will be important in this service design project as it will directly contribute to the fundamental elements. If you’re not familiar with the elements of service design, you can read my article here. Otherwise, here are the 5 elements of SERVE’s service design:
1. Stage
Fixed setting of this service is a terrace on the sidewalk of Calea Victoriei. The place is rich in history as this is the oldest main street of the city, with buildings over 100 years old.
The terrace itself is part of a very old, beautifully restored hotel. The problem is there is no interstitial space between the street and the building itself as the terrace elements are just placed on the sidewalk.
There’s not anything we can do about the Stage itself, other than take into account the amount of tourists passing by the terrace.
2. Props
If the purpose is to make the terrace appealing to younger customers, to make them want to spend more time, the stage must be altered, enhanced. We use props in order to do so. Props such as specific decor, harvest decor and greenery transform this liminal space into an actual place. We use props as landmarks, as symbols and as ways of communicating. In this case, we can use trip artefacts in order to express The Explorer brand archetype. Wine production artefacts are also expressive such as wooden barrels acting both as standing tables and delimitations.
We create a hierarchy of furniture directly related to the amount of time spent by customers. A quick drink should be enjoyed on the outer limits of the terrace on high tables, acting as a buffer for the lower dining tables suitable for having full meals, for customers of all ages.
One of the messages this brand representation should convey is the family heritage. The customers become guests and are offered today’s menu specifically, written on a blackboard.
Greenery fills the gaps between props. Lighting is romantic, integrated in the greenery. We use light textile shaders, not only to protect against the sun but also provide a softer material, distinct from the compact urban materials.
Dark accents give contrast to the overly white, sunwashed facade. Overall the space must not be overloaded, but have to or three meaningful objects.
We can identify three cohesive design directions.
3. Actors
The floor staff is mostly made out of hotel personnel which may seem less inviting for potential young customers in their 20s and 30s. This particular area is flooded with tourists. The service must act like a common ground for the two very different entities. Maybe make locals feel like tourists in their own town. We achieve this by giving all actors the feeling of family heritage, of being guests in the family’s home. As is the case with any house we visit, things change, get moved around, all things but on display have meaning, layers and layers of meaning. The actors are not only present but also the members of the family, each one of them expressed in a particular bottle of wine.
4. Interaction
So far the elements of service design were meant to attract the attention of specific actors. The point of any sidewalk terrace is to hijack the attention and time of passers by. Up until this point, hopefully we’ve achieved that with help from the props. Now it’s showtime: the performance of the service must be enjoyable and memorable, yet seamless. We want people of all ages and all backgrounds to spend as much time as possible, ordering several glasses, not necessarily bottles, of wine. If the service is providing wine, the interaction is pairing it with inexpensive amuse bouche plates. It’s themed, each of them has its own identity correlated with a member of the family. Choosing a particular plate guests can share is a manifestation of their own personality.
5. Subject matter
It’s important to remember that the project is not about the brand itself. It’s about the representation of the brand far away from its origin. The subject matter of the service is centered not on the terrace, nor on the products. It’s centered. on the guests. The world building occurs in the space shared between the passers by, the terrace and the brand. A seemingly banal afternoon walk ultimately becomes a pleasant, unexpectedly memorable moment.
Why is brand representation the architect’s problem?
Promoting a wine company is no easy task, especially when you’re competing with Tuscany or Provence for European consumers. An unpopular truth is that there are very few people who can notice subtle differences in wine. If the topic shifts from the company itself to the experience it provides, brands become more relatable and, more importantly, memorable.
If you’d like to read more about Service Design, you can find some of my articles here.