& SMITH has designed the new identity for Serata Hall, the latest bar from Albion & East. Recently opened on Old Street roundabout in Shoreditch, Serata Hall is a relaxed and informal venue, offering pizzas and sharing plates, bottomless brunches, gin masterclasses and a regular liquor club.
The new identity for Serata Hall builds on the success of the brand's sister sites - Canova Hall and Martello Hall - and cocktail bar Cattivo, all developed by & SMITH over the past five years. Whilst a cohesive set of subtle design codes connects the three locations, & SMITH has ensured that each bar retains an individual personality, expressed through the brand rollout.
The largest of the three venues, Serata Hall centres around bread, with a wood-fired pizza oven and its own in-house small-scale bakery - supplying bread and baked goods to all the Albion & East Sites daily. & SMITH designed the utilitarian sub-brand for Tiny Tower bakery, which can be seen across the tags, wrapping and bags.
Working alongside Red Deer architects, & SMITH created an identity inspired by a Victorian greenhouse and botanical ephemera, with the main logo being a green and gold monogram anchored by a hand holding a frond of botanicals. Subtle touches include menus tied with string, finished with hand-drawn botanical illustrations as well as branded tote bags and keyrings for locals and regulars.
"Each Albion & East site has its own strong personality so the challenge for us was to develop a cohesive set of brand identities for a chain of individuals," said Susan Jamieson, Design Director, & SMITH. "One of the core elements that connects the sites is their focus on delivering an exceptional experience to their guests. Things like their own bakery or small-scale gin distillery means us thinking of new ways for smaller sub-brands to evolve from the main project. These need to have the character and personality for customers to connect with and the strength to perhaps one day stand on their own two feet and become their own thing."
Following previous partnerships with Canova Hall, Martello Hall and Cattivo, & SMITH designed and crafted the brand identity for Serata Hall, including the signage, digital and printed materials, photography art direction, and rollout across all touchpoints.
