Saint-Urbain revives Firehouse Market’s architectural history with a mature typographic identity

Located in the registered national landmark The Firehouse, a building known for its Mediterranean Revival style designed by one of South Florida’s most prominent architects August C. Geiger in 1926, Firehouse Market is a casual fast-food restaurant in Miami’s arts and entertainment district. In crafting the new identity for the business, NYC-based creative agency Saint-Urbain focused on keeping the tone mature whilst playing with contrasts of modernity and its deeply historical location – from the heritage-style curved typographic arrangement of the logomark bringing dynamism to the identity, to referencing the building’s elegant circular windows in the brand’s iconography. Using Albertus as Firehouse Market’s fresh new face, Saint Urbain’s Creative Director Alex Ostroff explains “Albertus has been chosen to reveal the historical aspect of the building,” adding that their choice of Maison Neue as Albertus’ accompanying secondary typeface helped to “balance the modern re-appropriation of this place.” With an identity that features the “dichotomy of two eras” through the near-century difference between the two typefaces, Ostroff adds that “Albertus also gives an upscale vibe,” demonstrating the refinement and sophistication of the location, whilst “Maison Neue brings the fun, modern and pleasant experience of coming and grabbing a bite on your way to the beach.”