Background
Urbano Cellars is an urban winery in Berkeley, California founded in 2006. It has a casual and welcoming atmosphere, with owners who love to share their passion for wine. The name Urbano refers to one of the owner's previous residence on Urbano Drive in San Francisco.
Urbano Drive has a fascinating history as a horse racing track in the middle of the city from 1895 to 1905. The loop was eventually turned into a prominent housing development after the race track failed. The winery logo symbolizes the stone pillars that flank the entrance to Urbano Drive to this day.
My Role
Logo and typography updates
Branding and art direction
Packaging
Design Process
Urbano Cellars is approachable, hospitable, and most of all, fun. I combined these laid-back attributes with the historical context and urban setting for a concept that is reminiscent of early 1900s shop fronts. The logotype was updated to appear as if it were hand drawn by a sign painter circa 1900.
The logo already draws from an interesting history and physical piece of architecture, so I focused on refining elements to make the geometry more precise. The redesigned logo becomes a solid visual identity that carries into the wine labels.
Labels are printed on a simple kraft paper with a laser cutout of the logo, placing emphasis on the wine itself. All of the wines utilize the same label base, but include a unique typeface that shows the personality of that particular varietal.
The tasting menu is also printed on brown kraft paper to create a casual, vintage feel. Additionally, this material holds up well to the inevitable wine spills in the tasting room. Carry-home bags are made of a sturdy brown cardboard material to maintain a consistent appearance.
To fit the laid-back atmosphere of the winery, I created a rubber stamp with a playful secondary mark that can be used for easy branding. The stamp adds an extra brand moment for bar snacks that are offered with wine tastings.
Branded wood brings an additional texture to the urban setting, creating a warm and friendly place to hang out with friends for hours.
