NOVEL LoSo Station - Brand Guidelines

About NOVEL by Crescent Communities

A MORE THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO MULTIFAMILY AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT.

Our setting. Your story. At NOVEL by Crescent Communities, we provide a brilliant backdrop for your most interesting life. Grounded in extraordinary locations, our award-winning mixeduse developments embrace unexpected designs, world-class amenities and neighborhood programming that fosters a deep connection to place. Thoughtfully crafted and creatively built, we consider how even the smallest property detail can enrich your every day—and linger in your memory of life’s best moments.

The Building

Our detailed-focused design approach has created living spaces where each feature and finish has been selected with your contentment and convenience in mind.

• Spacious fitness center with dedicated yoga and spin room

• Automated package delivery system

• Club full of amenities and game room opening directly out to pool area

• Secure resident storage and bike storage

• On-site Land of a Thousand Hills full-service coffee shop and coworking lounge

• Rideshare waiting lobby

• Heated pool with tanning ledge

• Rooftop terrace with outdoor heated space and TV

• Outdoor grilling and picnic areas

• Direct access to Light Rail Station and the 3.5-mile Rail Trail linear park

• Activated interactive courtyard

The Neighborhood

NOVEL LoSo Station is also the perfect place to color your life outside of the lines, located right on the LYNX Blue Line with its own designated stop. Whether you are looking for green space to unwind, a vibrant place to toast to friends both new and old or the perfect home base for an easier commute, at NOVEL LoSo Station, you’ve already got everything you need right at your doorstep.

The Residents

Next Stop – Professionals moving from their first home in Charlotte

Demographics and origin:

• Mid-20s to early 30s

• Single, male and female

• Diverse, particularly including East and South Asians

• Moved to Charlotte for work, settling in South End and Uptown, but now looking for something else

Career:

• Heavy representation of banking, but also creatives, tech, health care (including administration) and other professional jobs

• In second job out of school or promoted (rising income)

• Focused on developing their careers

Distinctive characteristics:

• Want less of a party, dorm-like scene, but still value having fun and social places within walking distance

• Work from home, at least on occasion, and like to be in common spaces around other people

• Still developing their individual sense of style

• Happy to live in a building where everyone isn’t just like them in terms of age, life stage, career, etc.

• Most desire “exploration” rather than doing the same thing over and over

Not Ready to Nest – Young couples starting to build their lives together

Demographics and origin:

• Mid-20s to mid-30s

• Couples, straight and gay

• Mostly moving out of individual apartments in South End, Uptown or other areas of Charlotte

Career:

• Moving up in health care, creative agencies, finance, tech and other professions

• Couples may have split commute, such as South End or Uptown and SouthPark or Ballantyne

• One partner may be in a service sector (management)

Distinctive characteristics:

• Merging households and choosing “together” items, which may mean buying new furnishings

• Interested in meeting other young couples — building their social network as a couple

• Eager to start hosting people in their home — dinner parties, etc.

• Not planning to have kids soon, if at all

• As a couple, they are less interested in nightlife focused on dating and hooking up

• Starting to travel to scenic and cultural destinations across the country and around the world

LoSoLo – Maturing singles

Demographics and origin:

• 35+

• Male and female

• Moving out of closer-in, more energetic neighborhoods

• Foreign nationals coming for jobs

Career:

• Mid-level professionals in finance, health care (including administration), creative agencies, etc.

• Career is important to them but not a driving focus — work-life balance is important

Distinctive characteristics:

• Have a strongly developed sense of themselves and their style

• No interest in a young party scene

• That said, enjoy being around interesting people younger (and older) than themselves

• Have a solid group of friends that they see often

• Like to entertain in their homes

• Interested in meeting potential love interests, but not worried about it

• Seasoned solo travelers

Moving On – Divorced dads

Demographics and origin:

• 30–50

• Primarily male

• Moving out of family homes in nearby neighborhoods

Career:

• Mid- and upper-level professionals in finance, health care (including administration), etc.

Distinctive characteristics:

• Want to live close to the home where their ex and children still live and to their children’s school/childcare

• Want a community that’s welcoming to children — not a raucous party scene

• At the same time, don’t want a child-focused community, as they’re on their own much of the time and want to socialize as adults

• Looking to create a new social network, as their old one was largely defined by family

• Need to furnish their home mostly from scratch

• Need space in their home for when children are over

Positioning

NOVEL LoSo Station is the front porch of LoSo

Vision and Experience Principles

As humans, we are supposed to be together. We crave interaction, conversation, intimacy and shared experiences. We aren’t built to be lone wolves. When we are truly alone, strange things happen. Remember Tom Hanks in Castaway?

Since the invention of the telephone, the promise of technology was supposed to help bring us together. Family and friends a world apart could feel like they were “right here.” But, with every step of progress, it feels like real human connection is getting farther away. To the point where we sit across tables from each other and text instead of talking. We now have thousands of fake connections instead of a smaller number of real ones — and we aren’t better for it.

People come to the LoSo brewery district in part because they recognize this gap in their lives. They’re not here to sip beer in solitary silence or just to see and be seen. They’re here for open spaces where the buzz of conversation and laughter makes AirPods useless, for long tables where they can’t help but interact with a neighbor at some point, for some digital detox and unexpected collisions with interesting people. And the beer is the perfect, democratic social lubricant that helps make it easier to reach out for those connections.

Too many apartments have embraced the idea of being “alone but together.” They may call themselves “communities,” but they are anything but.

At Novel LoSo, we believe that it is time to bring real human interaction back home. In everything we do, we will promote human interaction and engagement in all shapes and sizes — creating a true community of happier, inspired, more connected people.

Create a place that human connection that compels real

Experience Principles

Create the “front Station campus yard” of a LoSo designed to foster communications

Over the years, America has become a “backyard” culture. Backyards are controlled — fenced, visible only to the neighbors, invitation-only. Front yards are different. When you hang out in the front yard, you give up some of that control — you don’t know who may walk by. You’re making an open invitation, and you show that you are up for whoever or whatever happens next.

While most apartment buildings invest in their “backyards” (pools and fitness rooms), NOVEL LoSo embraces a front-yard mentality. We will invest in a first-floor experience that isn’t just “not exclusionary,” but it is actually an invitation to the broader community around us to come hang.

To accomplish this, we will invest in first-floor amenities that are relevant for our residents but are also open to anyone. Charlotte’s signature dog park, an evolving ”play” area that might move from mini-golf to shuffleboard to four square over time, a broadly relevant retail program that will draw people to us, and an indoor-outdoor cafe/bar/coworking space with the longest table in Charlotte (a truly unique third place for the city) — these are all examples of how we can show the people around us that we want them to join us.

Across these spaces, we will invest in creating the kind of casual comfort that makes everyone feel at home — and lets people hang out long enough for the unexpected interactions inspired to happen. Shade, misters, abundant comfy seating and a mid-tempo energy level will help everyone be confident enough to spend extended time with us.

Importantly, LoSo Station is a hub that will attract employees, tourists, transit riders and other visitors. Our front-yard mindset will galvanize the rest of the LoSo Station campus to take a more open and inviting approach than comparable places. Public retail, bisecting walkways and first-floor glass will help create a permeable environment that inspires collisions and connections.

Experience Principles

We get it. It’s not easy to start a conversation. Even when we are forced into close quarters, we tend to shy away from asking the first question, especially when you can disappear behind a screen or enter the cone of silence from headphones as soon as you enter a coffee shop, train car or airplane. All of those years of parents telling kids not to talk to strangers … this is what you get.

NOVEL LoSo Station is here to help.

First and foremost, every good conversation needs a topic — and the weather or your CrossFit regimen don’t count. We will immerse our community in conversation starters. Dynamic walls (digital, chalk, etc.) and trained staff will ask provocative questions, highlight trending topics and provide spontaneous “challenges” to help encourage the first step in a great conversation.

We also know that conversations start more easily when you are surrounded by people with similar interests We will curate places and experiences — for example thematic libraries, a maker space with lockers, “Sunday dinners,” shared “pantries,” field trips or a speaker series — that are meant to bring people with similar interests/needs together. These will be built around the things that people love to talk about, food, drink, music, hobbies, etc., to help build connection and conversation.

Through these endeavors, people who are naturally curious will be drawn to this place, and the more outgoing ones will be catalysts for conversation. For those who are just drawn to interesting people and experiences, but a little more introverted, we’re not afraid to cheat a little bit if we have to. We know that a pint or two tend to loosen lips and are part of the authentic culture of LoSo, so local taps will be a familiar site throughout the property.

Experience Principles

people’s walls Design to lower

We often think about design as the act of closing things off. We will invest our time and energy in thoughtful design that tries to do the opposite: open things up.

At the heart will be a commitment to blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces — not just on the ground floor but throughout the building as well. Interior and exterior windows will create “long views” of what’s happening, in hopes that people will see an old friend who is walking by or a game of dominoes that is calling their name. Our rooftop lounge will provide our ultimate long view, reminding our residents of their easy access to all of Charlotte.

We will also design communal spaces that help groups of various sizes feel comfortable conversing and collaborating. These spaces will provide a variety of aesthetics and overall vibes, giving people a comfortable place to come together in whatever mindset they are currently in.

While our overall aesthetic will be designed to put people at ease and make them feel welcome — warm natural materials, biophilic elements, natural lighting, etc. — we also recognize the power of design to disrupt routines and draw people together. Our art, both public on the first floor and throughout the building, will be focused on pieces that we think will spark connections by being bold, dynamic, interactive and full of stories to be told about them.

Our approach to the units will also motivate connectivity. Smaller units, chalkboard doors and a focus on living/dining space are examples of ways we can promote engagement with our units.

Experience Principles

Activate the power of play

We believe that play has a unique ability to connect people together. Play energizes, disarms, levels playing fields, and creates shared moments and memories. Throughout our community, we will encourage our residents to take time out to gather and play.

Play will be a central part of our programming activities. Trivia night, tournaments (poker, cornhole, pingpong) and a breadth of community teams (soccer, kickball, Frisbee) are all ways that we will bring people together to play. We will emphasize social fitness — from boot camps to more fun options such as ninja warrior training — and other ways of “doing” together instead of doing it alone (for example, a maker studio space connected to the mail room).

At the same time, we will seed more “passive” inspiration for play throughout the community. A rotation of table games that traverses across floors, a larger-scale game parlor, a touch-screen crossword in the elevators, and a basketball hoop on top of the garage are examples of how we can create a platform for play and engagement throughout the community.

Beyond actual games, we will find places and ways to simply inject a playful spirit into the community. Think of a community “mascot” (such as a bulldog sculpture) that appears in random places every day, a month long “where’s (w)Aldo” search party or simply having “what the heck is that?” art installed in the community periodically.

Importantly, we focus on the low- or mid-tempo vibe that comes from places including OMB’s backyard or Queen City Social. We will create the kind of play that still allows conversations and connections to happen.

Brand Story y

Brand Story

We know the lines between live, work and play get blurred. But if you want to prioritize recharging your own battery over your phone’s, come plug in to our new urban community at NOVEL LoSo Station. Walkable to the many breweries, restaurants and activities of the LoSo district — with easy access to the

LYNX Blue Line — here, we make sure you stay connected where it matters most. Because at NOVEL LoSo Station, we are rewriting the rigid rules of modern living to make every day more meaningful, playful and inspired. So, if you’re looking for a lifestyle that thrives off line, on the line and out of line, come experience NOVEL LoSo Station.

Additional Lines

Brand Voice

Authentic

Casual and a bit playful

Brand Look and Feel

NOVEL LoSo Station Logo Guidelines

When designing something new, leave “clear space” around the NOVEL logo to give it visual separation from other elements. The minimum clear space for the NOVEL LoSo Station logos is shown in gray and should be no less than the size of the icon.

The integrity of the NOVEL logo set must be respected at all times. Any modifications diminish the impact. Below are some prohibited uses for the logo set.

Prohibited Uses

DO NOT skew, rotate or disproportionately scale the logo

DO NOT use effects on the logos, such as a drop shadow

DO NOT use the positive version of the logo on a dark background

DO NOT set the logo in a tight shape

DO NOT modify the logo color or typography

DO NOT use the reverse version of the logo on a light background

Safe Area | Primary Horizontal

Safe Area | Primary Vertical

NOVEL LoSo Station & Crescent Logo Guidelines

In some instances, it is necessary to pair the NOVEL LoSo Station logo with the full Crescent Communities logo or the Crescent Communities name.

In most cases, the full Crescent Communities logo will be used. Such instances could include the back of a brochure, a website or web splash page, rack cards, construction banners, video end cards or other materials where there is a need to tie in the Crescent Communities entity.

When pairing the two logos, it isn’t always necessary to place the two next to each other, as long as the Crescent Communities logo is legible and doesn’t violate the NOVEL clear space.

In limited instances, the full Crescent Communities logo may not be able to be added. Some examples of this are when the space being used is too small, such as a small monument sign, a business card or other instances where the full logo won’t fit or doesn’t seem applicable. In these cases, a type lockup set in Gotham Medium can be used as long as it doesn’t interfere with the NOVEL LoSo Station clear space.

The Metropolis type family is used for headlines, subheads as well as body copy, as shown below. Source Code is used as an alternate for body copy ONLY.

Color Palette

The NOVEL LoSo Station brand color palette is comprised of three primary and three secondary colors.

Primary

GOLD

PMS: 7563 C

CMYK: 15 35 92 0

RGB: 217 166 57

HEX: #D9A639

POPPY

PMS: 3556 C

CMYK: 0 90 96 0

RGB: 255 58 29

HEX: #FF3B1D

NAVY

PMS: 2372 C

CMYK: 100 100 31 23

RGB: 34 32 96

HEX: #222060

Secondary

GREIGE

PMS: 7527 C

CMYK: 9 9 15 0

RGB: 229 223 212

HEX: #E5DFD4

BLUSH

PMS: 2022 C

CMYK: 0 35 38 0

RGB: 250 180 150

HEX: #FAB496

TEAL

PMS: 2234 C

CMYK: 76 16 26 0

RGB: 25 164 183

HEX: #19A4B7

Supplemental

Logo & Patterns

The NOVEL LoSo Station brand has a stylized supplemental logo and a series of color-coordinated patterns.

Brand Icons

Brand Patterns

There are technically two patterns used with Loso Branding. To the right is Pattern #1. This is the slightly smaller repetitive pattern version of the two styles. This is used as an organic pattern that overlays over color fields, photos, etc. These color pairings are the only approved combinations. All pieces of the pattern must remain the same in color. The only time elements of the pattern can change color is when overlapping into another color field. When this happens, if the shape of the pattern that breaks the field of color is half on and half off, the shape should be split color. All shapes within the separate color field should remain the same color. Additionally, when designing with the pattern, if the pattern doesn’t fill the entire frame, the hard edge of where the pattern stops should never be visible. Selectively delete shapes upon the edge to create an organic edge of the pattern shapes. Lastly, when using this pattern occasionally some of the shapes may obstruct type or a focal point of a photo it is overlaying, selectively deleting shapes is allowed.

Supplemental Logo & Patterns

Brand Patterns

Pattern #2, shown below is much tighter in spacing and used at large scale (e.g. vehicle graphics). This pattern must be arranged manually each time in order to custom fit spaces, it is not built to repeat like pattern #1. It is used multi-color, carefully placed so each shape and color used doesn’t fall too close to a similar shape/color. When pattern #2 pattern is used, the approved background colors are red or navy.

Photography

The lifestyle photography for NOVEL Loso Station is a selection of local area imagery. These show the NOVEL personas and others interacting with and enjoying what this NOVEL location has to offer. To further amplify the NOVEL LoSo Station branding, photography can be treated as duotones* in the following color combinations.

*When treating images as duotones, brighten overall and increase contrast for best result. Dodging and burning detail areas may also be necessary.