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Art Direction
A great example about art direction with an illustration style providing a modern approach to the traditional Japanese roots.
As one of the quests to solve in here and allowing to communicate the same message to both English an Japanese without using written translations was creating a visual guides, through illustration as universal language. In this way, you as customer can see a strict shoe policy near the featured wooden seating area, with low tables on the floor for seats.
— Design by Made By Alphabet
Some slices of Japan to Manchester
Made by Alphabet developed the branding and spatial design for this unique japanese teahouse recently opened in the heart of Manchester City Centre. A very traditional teahouse with a clean, sophisticated and contemporary approach that works perfectly fro the Westernised market. The agency worked alongside with the teahouse founder born in Hong Kong, Mei Lee on creating this really amazing contemporary brand hardly rooted in Japanese Heritage.
Tatami as a System
The main idea behind the new branding is firmly founded in the tatami idea. The tatami is a type mat used as a flooring material in traditional japanese rooms. Normally made in wood stacks creating some kind of grid formation. Having into account this grid appeared the base for the brandmark. The brand words were split and placed inside different shapes tatami blocks for creating a dynamic and configurable brandmark strongly referencing the environment and interior of the teahouse.
Japanese precision
With the tatami concept base and the grid capabilities used throughout the brand, the menus were made by different sized blocks that play really nice creating a modern interpretation of the traditional Japanese culture. The menu contains two different columns for better housing English & Japanese translations keeping consistency all the time.
No Shoes Allowed
Design by
Made By Alphabet