A Wielert Happy Hour A man crossed the canal onto Vine Street after a long day’s work, a powerful thirst ready to be quenched with a stein of cold beer at the end of a four block walk on a warm July evening. Upon entering Weilert’s beer garden, Brand’s orchestra delicately threaded songs between the throngs of people gathered beneath rows of hanging plants; two men in black top hats on their zweite lager laughing together through pipe smoke, the regular Boss Cox and his entourage lounging comfortably at a table covered in sticky rings of old beer, a young barkeep holding position behind the counter waiting to pass another round to another eager customer, and a quiet man in the middle of the room surveying the scene while sketching it into a notebook.
Weilert’s was the largest and most popular beer garden in the city and it was brimming with life as usual. It’d been open twenty years since the owner, a gallant Union veteran soldier of the Civil War, turned the block between Vine and Walnut at 14th into a covered gathering place for new Germans and native Cincinnatians alike. Nary a sour face beneath beard nor bonnet could be witnessed among the crowd; only high spirits and a familiar energy punctuated the collective heartbeat of the garden’s inhabitants. And as the bar poured amber drink into heavy glass, and as the band played golden melody to the contented mass, the man knew he belonged nowhere else but at Weilert’s this perfect evening. It was 1893. It was OTR. Original narrative by Phil Armstrong Inspired by Henry Farny’s illustration “Wielert’s Saloon”
Contents
01 • Opportunity Finding Inspiration Problem Statement Collaboration 1410 Vine Street
02 • Research Cincinnati Brewing History OTR Renaissance Trends Benchmarking Lectures & Interviews
03 • Ideation Naming Image Inspiration Building Inspiration Identity Ideation
04 • Deliverables Space Planning Branding Exterior Wall Graphic Exterior Signage Table Topper Taps & Bar Signage Beer Menu Flight
Opportunity
Cincinnati’s love for a Good craft brew was not only integral in developing The Queen City, but also the culture & people within it.
Finding Inspiration About a year ago, I went on the Queen City underground tour. The tour led me feeling enlightened and proud to live in a city with such an invigorating history. However, I found myself distraught as I realized up till that experience, I was a Cincinnati local completely unaware and ignorant to the vast history of the city I lived in. Suddenly, it dawned on me that Cincinnati’s love for a good craft brew was not only integral in developing the Queen City, but also the culture and the people within it. I began to question: Why has this history been lost? How can it be brought back to life? Can Cincinnati revive and celebrate this unique heritage?
Problem Statement The history, culture, and traditions of Cincinnati brewing have been neglected for years, contributing to the gradual decay and separation from the past. This is affecting all Cincinnatians, especially Cincinnati natives who find themselves unable to tap into the culture of Cincinnati brewing. Gateway48 is an educational beer experience designed to bring Cincinnati’s culture back to life by maintaining and preserving the city’s brewing history and connecting it with the current craft beer renaissance. This connection is created by designing an experience that educates and engages the audience through the use of storytelling, discussions, and educational materials.
Collaboration Kendall had an experience similar to mine as she was told the story of her ancestry. She discovered that her great grandfather once carted beer barrels to and from vendors because his horse-drawn carriage was the only way the heavy barrels could be transported across cobblestone streets. This personal connection inspired her to look deeper into Cincinnati’s beer history. And thus, a conversation began. After realizing this overlap of interests, we brainstormed opportunities and came to the conclusion to collaborate. Working together at Rockwell Group gave us an understanding of how graphics and interiors could work together to bring a project to life. Interior design was used to create the look, tone, and feel of the space while graphic design was utilized to create a strong brand personality and educational materials. Our collaboration led to the creation of a memorable experience that educates the audience and encourages exploration.
Silently withstanding the test of time, this building was more than beautiful. It was inspirational.
1410 Vine Street Opened in 1873, 1410 Vine street was home to one of the most prominent beer gardens in the nation. Made popular by the notorious and famous of Cincinnati, Wielert’s beer garden filled the block with the sounds of Michael Brand and his orchestra, which later became the Cincinnati Symphony. The political leader of Cincinnati, George “Boss” Cox, had a permanently reserved table where, At 5 o’clock, he would sit and drink with his colleagues while runners would bring him news of political gossip and scheming. Across the room from where “Boss” Cox would drink, you could find another famous figure drinking with the common people. August “Gary” Hermann, father of the World Series, was also known to swing by for a drink or two. When we stumbled upon this neglected gem in Cincinnati and realized it was once home to some of Cincinnati’s most memorable and defining icons, it became evident that it would become the home of Gateway48 and play the leading role in restoring the importance of beer culture to the City of Cincinnati.
Today, the building sits in the middle of the daily hustle and bustle of Vine Street and oftentimes goes unnoticed. Upon visiting the site, it didn’t take long to realize how elegant and historic the building was. The traditional Italianate architecture combined with the restoration of the city around us was nothing less than remarkable. It was a site that brimmed to the top with stories left untold. Silently withstanding the test of time, this building was more than beautiful. It was inspirational. In that moment, it was evident that the building should drive our design. We instantly drew inspiration from the archways, forms of the building, structure of the facade, and the ornate decorative details. Our historical research combined with our analysis of the site inspired and determined many design decisions that were imperative to creating Gateway48.
Research
02 • Research
Cincinnati’s Brewing History Cincinnati has a rich heritage linked directly to its beer industry. One could even state that the last time Cincinnati was “noteworthy” was pre-prohibition when the area of Over the Rhine was full of saloons, beer gardens and breweries. This heavily saturated area of beer culture made Cincinnati a contender with cities such as Chicago and Milwaukee. In fact, the immigrants’ dedication to Reinheitsgebot, a German brewing purity law, is but one example of how much heritage influenced what was being produced in the city and what made Cincinnati’s breweries stand out admist the larger corporations. While breweries in areas such as Milwaukee were turning to cheaper ways for manufacturing beer, Cincinnati brews stood behind tradition and produced more “pure” beers than any city in America. It is a love for heritage that we see being revived in this city. Beer is but one avenue to express this. Like our ancestors before us, we are proud of our city and the beer that comes from it. As more people come to appreciate this culture and the industry, our city is reborn. It is here that we find our question: How might we create a space that uses craft beer to connect Cincinnati’s past with its present?
How Might We Create A Space That uses craft beer to Connect Cincinnati’s Past with its Present?
the Renaissance of Over-the-Rhine has been fueled and has driven more tourism to the city.
02 • Research
OTR Renaissance Over-the-Rhine’s revitalization efforts have been underway since the early 1980’s. With the formation of the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC), Over-the-Rhine has received significant funding and help to bring it to the vibrant community it is today. The charms of this community are bringing a steady flow of visitors and new residents to the area. The historic buildings provides the residents, diverse in ethnic and cultural backgrounds, with places to live, work, and play. The renovation of Washington Park has brought green space for people of all ages to live together. Pulling from the tourism brought to the area by Findlay Market, restaurants and businesses are opening up from Race Street to Main. Vine Street serves as a central hub for many of the business as well as a main thoroughfare for traffic. Furthermore, the city of Cincinnati welcomed Major League Baseball’s All Star Game last summer. Since the event, the Renaissance of Over-the-Rhine has been fueled and has driven more tourism to the city.
02 • Research
Trends From Likeness to Individuality: We are witnessing a shift from products and activities that uniform us to products and activities that help define us as individuals. “The Millennial generation is seeking to define themselves by what makes them different and discerning. Hence, their love of craft beer with its emphasis on quality, uniqueness and constant experimentation.� Millennials are interested in the history and craft of their products making them more inquisitive about what is actually going on behind the scenes. This interest drives them to take more of an active role in purchasing and supporting the products they like.
44% of craft beer drinkers say it is source of pride to try as many different kinds of beer as they can. 34% of 21-34 year-olds now choose an on-premise venue based on whether it has a wide selection of beers, compared to just 25% for all US adults. 44% of 21- to 27-year-old US drinkers have actually never tried Budweiser, something unthinkable even a decade ago.
02 • Research
From National to Local: “Local is becoming a desirable product claim, as people try to save money, support their communities and preserve the environment.” - Mintel Research Consumers are spending their money on locally grown food and produced products. The New Economics foundation researched the effects of people spending money on locally sourced goods verse supermarket goods and found the twice the money stays in the community. This affects the local area by creating new interest and investment by the people living and working there.
From Getaway to Connecting Cultural and heritage tourism is best seen in the bourbon trail industry of Kentucky. Kentucky has seen an increase in tourism and money spent in the state due to an increase in interest in bourbon. According to UNESCO, cultural and natural heritage tourism is the most rapidly growing international sector of the tourism industry. This form of tourism has been shown to revitalize the economies. The traveler interested in culture and heritage stay longer and spend more money than other travelers.
02 • Research
Benchmarking Nashville, Tennessee: After World War II, Nashville quickly became known as the country music capital of the world. With this title, people flock to the city to either become the next star or share the limelight. The rich history, saturated with country music legends, can be experienced through historic spaces such as the Grand Ol’ Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium. Nashville not only preserves its history, but creates spaces where aspiring artists can stand amongst their forefathers and feel connected to the past while they shape the future.`
Boston, Massachusetts: Boston has played an integral part in the development of the United States. In the 1950’s, concerned citizens of Boston were determined to preserve the story of the American Revolution and the role Boston played in it. In an effort to do this, they created the Freedom Trail. This trail drives economy and has played an integral part in the city’s economy and preservation programs. The 4 million visitors who come to Boston are educated on the American Revolution and the ideals that were born from it.
02 • Research
Mecklenburg Gardens: “Where food is an art and the setting is history” Mecklenburg Gardens was established in 1886 in Corryville, Ohio. The space is rich with stories of the German heritage that lives in Cincinnati. It was one of the more popular beer gardens in a city where 25% of the city was German-born. Mecklenburg’s restaurant served as Kloppenburg’s town hall where area residents were taught about the American political process. By curating stories of Cincinnati’s history, the consumers eat within a rich environment full of authentic German heritage.
02 • Research
Benchmarking Red’s Hall of Fame We ventured to the Red’s Hall of Fame Museum to see how the Red’s history was told. We were interested to see how the audience interacted with the space and found content-heavy exhibits were difficult to follow and oftentimes overlooked. However, the museum did a great job with interactive exhibit spaces that the audience was very engaged and interested in.
Cincinnati Freedom Center The Cincinnati Freedom Center educates and inspires their audiences to take part in the ongoing struggles of freedom. The museum does a remarkable job connecting to viewers in a very emotional way through the use of their materials. The museum displays exhibits through interactive and engaging ways. Furthermore, they use lighting and graphic elements to appropriately display the content.
02 • Research
Benchmarking Moerlein Lager House Christian Moerlein was one of the first and most influential brewers in Cincinnati. Today, Moerlein Lager House sits on the Banks of Cincinnati. Craft beer drinkers flock to the Lager House for the good food and great beer and once there, they are given the opportunity to learn about the history of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company. The first thing patrons see as they walk in is a huge image of the original brewery along with a timeline. There are artifacts on either side of this display, all giving a brief history of the company. Furthermore, the space is filled with authentic advertisements of Christian Moerlein beer. We drew inspiration from the space and how the story of the company was told. More importantly, we found ourselves highly inspired by the style of the historical art throughout the building.
02 • Research
Benchmarking Historic Breweries of Cincinnati Looking at Cincinnati Breweries in the pre-prohibition era helped us gain an understanding of historically accurate design. We looked at common trends amongst these breweries and thought of ways these trends could be applied to our space in a historically accurate, but more modernized approach.
Historically Inspired Spaces We researched current spaces and breweries with historical backgrounds such as Taft’s Ale House, Arnold’s Bar and Grill, Braxton Brewing Company, Listermann Brewing Company, and Rivertown Brewery and Barrel House to gain an understanding of how their stories inspired their branding.
Buffalo Trace doesn’t simply tell the Audience about their product, they let them experience it.
02 • Research
Lectures & Interviews Interview at Buffalo Trace: We toured Buffalo Trace Distillery to research how bourbon is elevated in Kentucky the way we wanted to elevate craft beer in Cincinnati. Buffalo Trace has been creating one of the finest bourbons for two hundred years. Once a part of the bourbon trail, Buffalo Trace decided to remove itself from the Kentucky Bourbons Association in order to keep the money used for fees at the distillery. This decision is the reason why the distillery is able to keep its multiple tours free to visitors. The visitors who come to Buffalo Trace are mostly international and out of state tourists. In our interview with one of the tour guides, Lee, we were surprised to discover that it was odd to have more than several Kentucky residents daily. Lee did mention that those visitors from Kentucky often returned with friends and family to share their experience.
So what brought them back? What drew interest? The experience. Buffalo Trace doesn’t simply tell the audience about their product, they let them experience it. Through the duration of the tour, we saw the barrels, toured the distillery, smelled the oak and aging product in the storing facility, watched as workers expertly hand applied labels and wax seals to bottles of Blanton’s, and finally ended the tour with samples of the bourbon we had spend the afternoon learning about. At the end, the tour erupted in questions and discussion. It became evident to us that Buffalo Trace created customer loyalty during these tours. Not only did it create a sense of pride and heritage for the product, it also prompted discussion. They had created an experience and educated their audience. When it was over, it left people talking.
02 • Research
Lectures & Interviews Brewery Heritage Trail: While developing this project concept, the Brewery Heritage Trail became a major stakeholder. Striving to tell the history of Cincinnati through the use of beer, the trail is establishing itself within Overthe-Rhine as a driver for tourism. The BDCURC (Brewery District of Cincinnati Urban Redevelopment Corporation) is overseeing this effort in partnership with design firms and businesses. The BDCURC and it’s partners noticed a rich history that was not being leveraged by it’s city. Upon completion, this effort will set a new gold standard for heritage trails in the world.
Interview with Steven Hampton: “The overall goal of the BDCURC is to drive individuals to come to Cincinnati.” “We have this asset that no other city has. No one has this much history and no one has it within in a walking district.”
The BDCURC has great relationships with majority of breweries in Cincinnati. They aren’t focused on the history being made today but rather educating others on our history already made (the past). They strive to find a balance between bringing in tourists and the needs of the residents in OTR. The BDCURC does not want to make the area too “touristy” and strives to maintain the identity of OTR. Steven explained “The Brewery Heritage Trail is first and foremost a Heritage Trail.” The trail was inspired by an underground tour given in 2006. “The tour was eye opening. We have a history people will come pay to see. On any given day there could be up to 300 people who take a tour. This is about using the trail as an experience and tool for the preservation of our history.”
02 • Research
This is about using the trail as an Experience and tool for the preservation of our history.
Lectures & Interviews Interview with John Funcheon: We met with Historian and American Legacy Tours Guide, John Funcheon to gain more understanding about Cincinnati history and what life would be like in an 1800’s to early 1900’s beer garden. John provided us with a wealth of knowledge and resources that allowed us to further understand the history behind Gateway48. This helped us make important and historically accurate design decisions and tell the story of Wielert’s, Boss Cox, and Cincinnati to our full potential.
Wielert’s Beer Gardens: Wielert’s (Vee-Lerts) was unique because unlike the rowdy men-only saloons of OTR, Wielert’s was a family-friendly beer garden that allowed women and children, which made it well-liked and accepted. Wielert’s was known nationwide as one of America’s largest beer gardens and attracted visitors to Cincinnati- the beer capital of the world.
02 • Research
While the Beer garden was open to all, the architecture combines Italianate style with unique German decoration. The decoration on the building’s facade was used to communicate specific regions or “states” of Germany to other immigrants, letting them know which area the owner and patrons are from. This is a feature found on many historic buildings in OTR.
Boss Cox: John described Boss Cox as a “morally focused political gangster.” Boss believed in efficiency, friendliness, humor, and surrounding himself with the public, especially working class Germans. Above all, he strived to always do the best “for the people” and truly believed his decisions were in the best interest of the city. Boss spent most evenings in OTR amongst the common people, being one of the first politicians to embody the concept of face-to-face politics, which made him very well-liked by working class citizens.
Life in the early 19th Century: Most people in the early 1900’s, especially the German working-class that occupied OTR, were illiterate. Simple concepts and lots of imagery were used as symbolisms of ideas as an easier, more universal form of communication. Forgery was a huge issue in this time period. It was common for products to be labeled “genuine” or “authentic” to ensure legitimacy. Raised labels, stamps, wax seals, and bands were used to gain trust as well. It was common to see Cincinnati listed as “Cincinnati, O.” or “Cincinnati, USA” as an effort to brand or advertise the city of Cincinnati.
02 • Research
Lectures & Interviews Lecture by Ruth J. Abram: Ruth Abram is the founder of the awardwinning Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York City. Ruth is an honored preservationist and historian. In her lecture, Ruth brought to light the concept of using museums as vehicles for social change. Ruth discussed the findings and social impact that resulted from the Tenement Museum in New York City. The museum is designed to be experiential. Visitors walk through the apartments which are set up as historically accurate representations of the living conditions of immigrants in the early 1900’s. This has opened the eyes of visitors, letting them fully grasp the poverty and poor living conditions of the people from the past. This inspired people to take action on social issues such as immigration education, health laws, and childhood poverty to name a few. In all instances of someone asking to use the museum to make an impact on these social issues, Ruth simply
responded, “Of course, that is what the museum is for.” This led to discoveries on our part. The most outstanding finding was that the visitors were most interested and inspired by the people that once lived there. “People want to know what really happened here. Who was here, what they did,” Ruth explained. Ruth also discussed how the experiences and emotional reactions led to “kitchen conversations,” where the audience took time to openly discuss their thoughts and reactions to the space, “People want to say what they want and they want to be heard.” Invite people to comment and then respond. Most importantly, we learned that history can raise contemporary social issues. History holds the power to teach us lessons that can improve our lives.
History holds the power to teach us lessons that can Improve our lives.
Ideation
03 • Ideation
naming We began brainstorming ideas based off of words that came to mind when thinking about Cincinnati, beer, and our research.
Original Names The Bier Baron - Named after the master brewers and owners of breweries in the early 1900’s. Haus48 - “Haus” is used as a nod to traditional German ale hauses and “48” pays homage to the immigrants that traveled from Germany to Cincinnati in the mid-1800’s, known as “forty-eighters.” The Gateway - Our building is located in what was once known as the “gateway district” of historic Cincinnati. “Gateway” can also symbolize a connection from the present to the past. Wielert’s - Restores the name of the historic and well-known beer garden that once took place at 1410 Vine Street.
Embree’s
-
Davis Embree established the
first commercial brewery in Cincinnati in 1812. Naming the space after him would pay homage to the beginning of craft beer in Cincinnati.
Post-Brainstorm Haus48 and The Gateway were the top choices, but we didn’t think they were quite there. We began to edit and realized the final name would be a combination of the two original possibilities.
Gateway48 Gateway refers to the Gateway district, where our building is located. The Gateway district was right outside of “Northern Liberties,” also known as the “Lawless land of the 1800’s.” 48 pays homage to the German immigrants who introduced the Queen City to beer, which would become a defining piece of Cincinnati’s heritage.
03 • Ideation
Image Inspiration Image Boards The following shows a collection of images compiled to begin the ideation process. These images were based off of three over-arching ideas: historical authenticity (an authentic design approach), contemporary interpretation (a modern design approach), and cultural revival (a combination of historically inspired design with a modern approach). We separated our inspiration into these buckets to organize our thought process and look for common trends that could help further develop our brand personality. These images were compiled into image boards, which later helped us develop tone boards to establish the Gateway48 brand.
Historical Authenticity
Contemporary Interpretation
Cultural Revival
03 • Ideation
Image Inspiration Tone Boards The image boards helped us establish common themes that would be appropriate for Gateway48. We felt “Cultural Revival” would be the best direction and made a series of tone boards to further explore branding options. We established tone boards based off of common themes and appropriate directions for Gateway48. Each board was compiled of imagery, short descriptions, and possible color schemes. After critiques and discussions, we decided to move forward with the board titled “Contemporary Letterpress” because of the juxtaposition of modern and authentic design elements, as well as the simplicity and combination of hand-crafted materials with modernday production and historical design elements.
High ornamentation
“High Ornamentation� was a direction that would be highly decorative, skillfully crafted, and feel very premium. It would have a strong use of ornamental typography as its main element and use minimal photography. The color scheme consisted of muted tones, gold, and neutrals.
We decided against this board due to lack of historical accuracy. The extreme ornamentation felt too decorative. It was not an appropriate representation of the people, culture, or time period we were recreating.
Iconic Modern
“Iconic Modern allowed us to explore a much more modern approach to the design of our space. It is driven by simplistic and thoughtful design elements with refined illustrations and strong “hero” icons. We appreciated the use of pattern in combination with modern typefaces and generally neutral color scheme.
While we loved the elegance of this direction, it didn’t feel appropriate. The modern approach neglected the historical significance.
Apothecary
We were drawn to “Apothecary� due to the historical prominence and hints to a traditional letterpress. The decorative typography felt authentic and the combination of a more modern typeface added hints of modern design. The illustrations felt embossed, and added a nice texture to the designs.
This was one of the more successful tone boards we considered. We were drawn to the historical accuracy, loved the illustrative elements and appreciated the strong use of typography. We decided to push away from this board because it felt too busy and lacked clarity. It seemed as though informational elements could be easily lost in the business of the design.
minimalistic Craft
“Minimalistic Craft” is exactly what is sounds like. This direction was driven by raw, crafted materials. Modern typefaces and minimal ornamentation allow concepts to be prominent. The design is very clean and minimal, allowing the materials and content to be the heros.
While we love the historical accuracy and clarity of this direction, we felt it wouldn’t provide enough variety to drive design for the entire space and keep viewer’s attention.
Contemporary Letterpress
The first trend we noticed with “Contemporary Letterpress� was the use of divided elements, reminiscent of newspapers. We were drawn to the elegance and inspired by authentic design elements. The combination of hand crafted elements and printed materials and juxtaposition of modern felt appropriate.
We chose to establish this as the direction for Gateway48 due to the strong link to history and juxtaposition of old and new.
03 • Ideation
Image Inspiration Historic Images We compiled a series of historic images of Cincinnati, Wielert’s and Boss Cox. The style of imagery influenced our designs and some of these images were used as graphic elements. We used the below image often throughout the project. This is a sketch of Wielert’s created by Cincinnati artist, Henry Farney. Boss Cox stands in the middle of the scene talking to the pretzel boy.
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
Image Inspiration 1900’s News Articles One of the most exciting parts of the process for this project was the discovery of materials. I took a trip to the Cincinnati public library, and used the microfilm to find articles from the early 1900’s. Some of the found images were later used as graphic elements in my deliverables.
03 • Ideation
Building Inspiration Site Visit Visiting our site at 1410 Vine Street allowed us to draw inspiration from the building. We examined decorative details, forms such as archways, windows, and dormers, wrought iron detail, and structure of the facade to help make design decisions. Such decisions included grid structures, holding shapes, decorative elements, and typefaces.
03 • Ideation
Building-Inspired sketches Building-inspired After visiting the site, I began creating an image bank based off of the inspirational elements found on the building. These sketches later transformed into a vector library that was referenced throughout the design process.
03 • Ideation
Vector Library A vector library was created based off the details from the building. When designing deliverables, I referenced this library to create decorative elements.
03 • Ideation
Holding Shapes Holding shapes for the logo were created from shapes on the building.
03 • Ideation
Page Sizes Page sizes (such as the menu size) were created based on the building structure.
03 • Ideation
Grid Structure A grid structure was created based on the facade and used when necessary.
03 • Ideation
Identity Ideation Wordmark Sketches
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
Qualifying Statement The qualifying statement “Cincinnati’s Experiential Beer Museum” was added to explain what Gateway48 is. We didn’t want people to think this is any old beer garden, but wanted to make sure it sounded more interesting than a museum. This later changed to the final statement, “an educational beer experience” because people seemed to get confused about what an “experiential museum” was and oftentimes read it as “experimental.”
03 • Ideation
Grid Structure At this point, a grid structure implemented for the wordmark design. The grid was based off of the structure of the building. (See “Building Inspiration” section.)
Lockup The logo was originally placed alongside the wordmark. This later changed. The logo and wordmark will never be shown together but is shown here for process.
03 • Ideation
Holding Shape We experimented with using the forms of the building as a holding shape. This was explored but later changed. The curve of the top created uncomfortable spaces and the container didn’t seem to add to the design. This shows another instance of how a grid was created based off the structure of our building.
03 • Ideation
Grid Structure At this point, a grid structure implemented for the wordmark design. The grid was based off of the structure of the building. (See “Building Inspiration” section.)
Lockup The logo was originally placed alongside the wordmark. This later changed. The logo and wordmark will never be shown together but is shown here for process.
Holding Shape We experimented with using the forms of the building as a holding shape. This was explored but later changed. The curve of the top created uncomfortable spaces and the container didn’t seem to add to the design.
03 • Ideation
Identity Ideation Final Wordmark
03 • Ideation
Identity Ideation Logo Sketches
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
Holding Shape Explorations inspired by structures from the building.
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
03 • Ideation
Identity Ideation Final Logo
Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Space planning Plan For the Building Our building is three floors tall, plus a patio space. Because of time constraints, we could only focus on the first floor. The space was planned as follows:
Third Floor The third floor is utilized as office space.
Second Floor The second floor is the starting point of the BDCURC Heritage Tours. This space would be designed as an exhibition gallery, focusing on the stories and history of Cincinnati brewing. The exhibit would be accessible to all patrons from the lobby staircase.
First Floor- Chosen Focus The first floor is designed as an educational beer garden. Patrons interacting with the space learn about Cincinnati beer history and local breweries. This space engages the audience by encouraging storytelling and discussions. We focused our efforts on this space for the duration of the project.
Patio Space- Extension of First Floor The patio was designed to be an extension of our first floor beer garden.
04 • Deliverables
3
2
1
04 • Deliverables
Space planning Floor Plan The layout of the space is as follows: 1 Entrance 2 Exterior Wall 3 Lobby 4 Outdoor Patio 5 Bar 6 Covered Beer Garden 7 Kitchen 8 Bathroom 9 Stage
04 • Deliverables
5
1
3
8 7
2
1
4
6
9
04 • Deliverables
Space planning Educational Opportunities 1 Wall art/ billboard references Cincinnati History 2 Map of Cincinnati Breweries in the 1800-1900’s 3 Games similar to those played in beer gardens 4 Beers from Cincinnati local breweries 5 Taps communicate beer information (Style of beer, ABV, IBU, color, etc.) 6 The bar is designed as a stage so bartenders can tell stories and the audience can easily gather around. 7 Boss Cox table teaches the audience about Boss. 8 Boss Cox wall tells his story and the impact he had on the city. 9 Tables encourage conversation 10 Menu lists beers and adds educational elements about Cincinnati brewing history. 11 Flights teach the audience about beer they enjoy and can add historical elements. 12 Signage or graphics about Cincinnati history 13 Call outs on tables educate the audience about beers they haven’t tried or local breweries 14 Information about the Cincinnati Symphony
04 • Deliverables
4
5
6 2
10
8
7
1
3 9
13
14
11 12
04 • Deliverables
Space planning Branded Deliverables We pinpointed a series of branded moments, some of which could function as educational opportunities. These served as the final graphic deliverables for the project. (Educational deliverables are solid green) 1 Exterior Wall Graphic 2 Exterior Signage 3 Beer of the Month Tri-Fold Table Tent 4 Beer Taps with Correlating Signage 5 Menu 6 Flights with Flight Cards
04 • Deliverables
4
2 6
1
3
5
04 • Deliverables
Branding Final Wordmark
04 • Deliverables
Branding Final Logo
04 • Deliverables
Branding Typography
Primary
Burford Base Decorative
furius regular Secondary
Memphis lt std Body Copy Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam.
04 • Deliverables
Branding Color Scheme
Gateway48 Green C 45 / M 20 / Y 60 / K 10 R 126 / G 148 / B 86
Black C 06 / M 05 / Y 07 / K 95 R 16 / G 16 / B 15
Off-White C 06 / M 05 / Y 07 / K 00 R 239 / G 237 / B 228
Wrought Iron Use: Exterior signage and flight.
Stained Wood Use: Exterior signage, taps, and flight.
Materials
Gold Use: Exterior signage, beer of the month, and menu. (Used as flat color on street art)
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Wall Graphic The building has a large wall on the side that is visible from the street. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to advertise the space and catch attention. Originally, the wall graphic was going to be dedicated to Boss Cox, but later changed to be a tribute to the impact beer had on Cincinnati’s heritage. We also thought this would be more appropriate in advertising the overall idea of the space, instead of one hero.
04 • Deliverables
1
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Wall Graphic Inspiration For the design of the exterior wall graphic, I drew inspiration from the newspaper articles from the early 1900’s I discovered at the Cincinnati library.
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Wall Graphic Sketches
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
his word was as good as
his bond
Re-thinking At this point, the graphic was getting closer, but I had another idea that was worth exploring.
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Wall Graphic Second Concept Sketches
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Wall Graphic Re-sketching elements
I re-drew the crown to use elements from the building and make it feel closer to the Gateway48 brand.
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Wall Graphic Digital Sketches
“Cincinnati,O.” Back in the nineteenth century, breweries used “Cincinnati, O.” or “Cincinnati, USA” to brand the city. Next time you see an old Moerlein advertisement, you may notice it alongside their branding or artwork.
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Wall Graphic Final Design
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Signage While the exterior signage of the building did not play a role in educating the audience, it was a necessary deliverable for the branding of our space. The signage did allow me to explore the way the materials used for the interior design could be utilized in a graphic way. Exterior signage appears in two places. The first is right above the entrance so that it is visible from across the street. Secondly, I added a sign that stands out from the building so it would be visible when walking or driving up and down Vine street.
04 • Deliverables
2
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Signage Initial thoughts and digital sketches
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Wrought Iron Signage We saw the design of the exterior signage to be a golden opportunity to take inspiration from the building’s beautiful wrought iron decoration. The combination of wood and wrought iron was a popular choice of materials for signage in the nineteenth century.
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Exterior Signage Final Design
04 • Deliverables
Table Topper Creating a beer of the month menu was an easy way for us to advertise great local beers to an audience that might be unaware of them. Tri-fold table tents work in conjunction with a beer of the month menu insert (shown in the menu section) and beer of the month taps. This makes the selected beers seem more premium and recommended. The green dots on the floor plan illustrate the location of these table tents. The numbered dot illustrates the location we chose for the final view of the design in our space.
04 • Deliverables
3
04 • Deliverables
Table Topper Exploration
04 • Deliverables
Table Topper Final Design and Layout
04 • Deliverables
Table Topper Final Design
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Taps & bar signage The bar space was an interesting collaborative moment for the two of us. Kendall designed the space while I focused on the organization of information regarding each of the different beers offered. This space was an important moment to us because it demonstrated how we could connect present breweries with the stories of the past. The system we designed organizes each type of beer into it’s own category. It then lists the main attributes of the beers and shows the coloring of the different styles as well.
04 • Deliverables
4
04 • Deliverables
Taps & bar signage Initial thoughts and sketches
04 • Deliverables
Considerations Throughout the process, we asked ourselves the following questions: How do we create an identifiable, legible, and evolving system? Do we keep the brand of each brewery in mind? What do we have to show? Should the Gateway48 branding stand out more than the individual brewery? What is the most effective way to organize and communicate 48 different beers from different breweries?
04 • Deliverables
Taps & bar signage Reconsidering the Execution Initially, we thought the taps would be set up as shown. The back of the bar would be a white tile that could be written on. The information about each beer would be written directly above the tap, and erased and re-written as the taps changed. We came to the conclusion that this was not the best approach because of legibility and overall appearance.
04 • Deliverables
Taps & bar signage Tap Exploration The taps and signage were designed based off the curves from the building’s exterior archways. I explored several options that fell within the system of communication designed for beer-related materials.
04 • Deliverables
Taps & Bar signage Final Bar Layout After defining problems in our first bar space, we went back to the drawing board. We ended up designing a back wall of interchangeable frames that correlate with the tap number. This way, they are clearly organized within the system, are visible from a distance, and can easily change.
04 • Deliverables
Taps & bar signage Final Tap and Signage Design
04 • Deliverables
Taps & bar signage Frame Execution
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Final frame (pre-paint)
Final frame with insert
04 • Deliverables
Taps & bar signage Tap Execution
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Final tap (pre-paint)
Final tap with paint
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Beer Menu The menu provided an interesting opportunity to educate the audience. It is functional in providing the necessary information of a beer list, but also teaches the audience about different types of beers, the common traits of a beer and how they can be compared, and Cincinnati beer history. It was an exciting way to provide a functional resource that also incorporated storytelling. The green dots on the floor plan illustrate the many plausible locations where the menu could be used. The numbered dot illustrates the location we chose for the final view of the design in our space.
04 • Deliverables
5
04 • Deliverables
Beer Menu Master List Gateway48 only sells locally crafted beers, so the design process for the menu began with creating a master beer list of local breweries and the beers they have to offer.
04 • Deliverables
Beer Menu Sketches and Planning The menu design is based off of a nineteenth-century newspaper. The segmentation provided a natural structure and order necessary for the amount of content in the menu. Once again, newspaper articles from the early 1900’s as well as architectural details inspired the design of the menu.
04 • Deliverables
Explorations I created a series of sketches and explorations to establish hierarchy throughout the menu.
04 • Deliverables
Beer Menu Elements Library I kept referring to the vector library I created at the beginning of the design process, so I created a second library with elements that would be used in the menu.
04 • Deliverables
Beer Menu Page Layouts Beers are organized by style. Each category of beer has its own set of decorative flourishes. The green divider pages and copy below each beer (draft beers are numbered 1 to 45, plus three beers of the month make 48 local drafts) discuss the qualities of the type of beer. Historical stories or facts are in black frames and further educate the audience about Cincinnati’s brewing history.
Stout
Bottles 5 0 WEST
B RA XT ON
Mooving Violation
Dead blow
ABV 7.5% • IBU 70 $6/bottle
American Pale Ale
ABV 7.2% • IBU 27 $5/bottle
American Pale Ale
Drafts
Bitter ends, bright beginnings
In 1919, the Prohibition permanently closed most
of
the
city’s
breweries,
including
B LA N K S LAT E Wielert’s Beer Gardens which was located
Out & about
here at 1410 Vine Street. In 1933, a number of breweries were able to reopen,ABV but 5.4%the • changing
market
breweries
such
as
and
IBU 26
Porter
Bottles L ISTERMANN
MO E R LE I N
peanut butter porter
Shiver Chai Porter
ABV 6.7% • IBU 28 $7/bottle
ABV 6.6% • IBU 33 $6/bottle
RHINEGEIST
R I V E RT O W N
Panther
Roebling porter
• $15/growler of $6/pint national
rise
A crisp, refreshing wheat ale that is the
Anheiser
Busch
and
perfect thing on a warm day.
Miller hastened their end. The Red Top
EIG HT BALL
LISTERMANN
home alone
lateral
brewery in the country around 1950, but had
ABV 7.8% • IBU 40 $5/bottle
ABV 5.0% • IBU 12 $7/bottle
gone out of business by 1957, thus closing
Brewing
Company
was
the
14th
largest
the last operating brewery in OTR.
LI S T E RM A N N
ABV 5.8% $6/bottle
ABV 7.9% • IBU 34 $7/bottle
Belgian Ale
Carrie
Over the years, most of the city’s brewery buildings were torn down or left to ruin.
ABV 4.5% • IBU 20
MADTREE
R I VE RT OW N
black forest
death
ABV 4.9% • IBU 25 $6/bottle
ABV 11.7% • IBU 19 $5/bottle
APA’s have significant amounts of American
Approximately forty seven buildings from
$7/pint • $17/growler
fourteen breweries still remain in Over-theA nice balance of hops and mild grain with lightly bittersweet backbone. Rhine and the West End atoday.
Reinheitsgebot
Belgian beers are primarily ales (opposed
hops, typically Cascade. It is particularly
There is still hope to restore Cincinnati’s
the American hops that distinguish an
heritage. Current revival efforts and the
American Pale Ale from British pale ales.
craft beer renaissance combinedLIwith S T E the RM A N N uprise of local breweries gives hope to
Jungle Honey
advertised there was “no corn nor grape
The style is close to the American India
restore the culture and traditions that beer
sugar in the mash, nor rice in the kettle” at his
or Witbiers, Saisons or Farmhouse Ales,
ABV 5.5% • IBU 40
brewery, thus beginning Reinheitsgebot.
Dubbels, Tripels, and Quadrupels.
Pale Ale (IPA) though IPA’s are stronger and more assertively hopped.
once brought to the city. It is time $7/pint to tap •into $17/growler our roots and leverage craft beer to make Malt, honey and citrusy hops. Sweet flavor with a grassy hop finish. Cincinnati great once again.
to lagers) with a heavy emphasis on malts In 1877, George Weber’s Jackson Brewery
Reinheitsgebot is a German beer purity law that restricts the ingredients used in
Gateway48 encourages innovation, respects
beer to barley malt, hops, yeast and water.
history, and nurtures the present.
Reinheitsgebot has never been the law in America, but Cincinnati’s nineteenth century brewers obeyed it as a matter of honor.
M A D T RE E
Sol Drifter ABV 4.3% • IBU 18 $6/pint • $15/growler A refreshing blonde ale that ends with a crisp and tart strawberry finish.
and a lot of fruity yeast flavors. Common Belgian
beers
include
Belgian
Whites
04 • Deliverables
Beer Menu Portfolio Boss Cox had runners who would carry letters to and from him when he was conducting business. This inspired me to make the menu folders look like they are secret letters for the viewer’s eyes only. Inside the folder, the viewer will find flight cards, the menu, and a hand-written letter.
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Flight We chose to create a flight for the space because it is both relevant and educational. Flights allow people to sample multiple beers in smaller sizes. This gave us the opportunity to see how we could incorporate beer history into the design of the flight. The green dots on the floor plan illustrate the many plausible locations where the flight could be used. The numbered dot illustrates the location we chose for the final view of the design in our space.
04 • Deliverables
6
04 • Deliverables
Flight Sketches and Planning
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Flight Flight Card Studies
Side One
Side Two
Changes After testing the cards, it became evident that a strong vertical layout was difficult for users to interact with. It didn’t help labeling as well as it could and it also was difficult to write in the small space.
Discovery There was also a moment of discovery. The flight card could be used to add to the storytelling and education of the space. Facts and stories about Cincinnati history were added to the back of the card as an added element of interest.
Flight Flight Execution
04 • Deliverables
04 • Deliverables
Acknowledgements
The GRCD Class of 2016 Congratulations! It has been a privilege to work, learn, and grow alongside such an exceptionally talented and inspiring group of designers. I wish the best of luck to you all and can not wait to see the work that comes from the Class of 2016.
Todd Timney I would like to express my sincere appreciation for my capstone professor, Todd Timney. You have been a tremendous mentor to me. Thank you for encouraging my work and allowing me to grow as a designer.
I cannot extend enough thanks for those who graciously donated their time, guidance, and expertise to the benefit of this project.
James Billiter Daniel bittman tom dunne John Funcheon Katie Meaney matt wizinsky
Family & Friends None of this would have been possible without the love, patience, and unwavering support of my friends and family. Thank you all for standing by my side. I am truly fortunate to have you in my life.
Don Chambers Thank you for your willingness to help me with any project request- whether it be dressing you like a homeless person for a photography class or asking you to meticulously craft a beer flight. I love you, Daddio.
Don & Jackie Chambers Kris & Tom Speier I am so fortunate to have the love, patience, and encouragement of not two, but four parents. Thank you for unconditionally supporting my dreams, encouraging creativity, and inspiring me to become the best version of myself. I couldn’t possibly have done this without you. I love you all tremendously.
Kendall Sebald Who would’ve thought that it would take moving to New York City for two beer-loving, bourbondrinking, adventure-seeking Kentucky girls to finally meet? I am so thankful for our friendship and can not imagine what this project would have been like without you learning, exploring, researching, and designing by my side. Thank you for being a fabulous collaborator, constant supporter, and true friend. We did it!
Cheers!