Rethinking Neighborhood
Anaheim Packing District
Creativity lifts a community
LAB Holding acquired the historic Sunkist citrus packing house in the heart of Anaheim, reimagining it as a culinary gathering spot. Their inspired mix of gourmet food and drink options along with uber-cool hangout spaces has not only meant success for the tenants, but it has redefined downtown for the City of Anaheim. Drawing on the building’s history and referencing early photographs of the location, we created the project identity and full signage program. We also helped brainstorm many of the original common area installations.
Identity is felt
Expressing the emotional components of a brand to its audience — at every point of contact — is the essential part of any identity system. Each detail of the application — its form, size, materiality, and even its absence — feeds the overall experience. In this case, we wanted Anaheim Packing District to feel warm, hand-crafted, and seem likes it’s been there 100 years. The signage system was hand painted to conjure the original packing house using weather beaten murals, subtle imperfections in the letterforms, and variations in the color ways. We took care not to apply the identity in a repetitious, consistent, corporate manner.
Key takeaways
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Brand expressions informed by the history of the place
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Signage system to communicate the soul of the brand
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Great brand experiences can create community
What we did
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Identity system design
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Building signage design, production and installation
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Sub-branding and semi-permanent destination identity
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Environmental design concepting
Never-ending identity
Part of the broader Anaheim Packing District is an adjacent culinary maker space which is simply and fittingly called, MAKE. Our work extended into building the brand for this area as well. Taking a cue from its name, we imagined an identity that is always in the process of being created. The name and structure are familiar, but every time you see the MAKE logo it would be a fresh version. The idea speaks to the ongoing creativity and discovery of place you feel every visit. On a practical level, this meant semi-permanent signage, changeable flags, hand-constructed displays, and even community involvement.