Ingrid Picanyol Studio brings the classic and the contemporary together for Mas Vell’s identity

In an identity that feels both nostalgic and contemporary, Barcelonian design studio Ingrid Picanyol have crafted an astute concoction of charismatic typography and refined application in their brand for Mas Vell. Formerly a 14th-century farmhouse in Barcelona called El Mas Vell, the space is now a refined eatery, pizzeria, micro-brewery and co-working space. Rich in both history and striking architectural features, Mas Vell is and always has been a hub for its community. With its endearing spirit and heritage in mind, Ingrid Picanyol set to work doing justice to the phenomenal space, working parallel with architect Stefano Colli in their physical resurrection and development of El Mas Vell. With a total understanding of the personality and commutative significance it lends, Picanyol led the identity with powerful, cosmopolitan and energetic typography. Working with Noe Blanco, who created a custom feature typeface entirely from scratch, the outcome is reminiscent of the elegant serif typography throughout the city’s history and the place Mas Vell holds within it; both that of the contemporary and of the classic. Accompanying the custom typography are two ornate crests, one of the Fontanills family, the first owners of the farmhouse, and of the Amat family – the second owners. “We found both during our research,” Picanyol tells us, “and we decided to draw them and use them in some of the brand applications.” The rich, sun-kissed blue of the brand has every right to seem very corporate, however, its application is the opposite; instead, being reminiscent of a sun-drenched city and the feeling of a cold drink in the sun. “The restaurant is placed in front of the beach so we wanted to bring the sea inside the spaces,” Picanyol adds, keeping the sea as inspiration for the material choices of the identity’s ephemera. “Sea is not uniform, so we avoided printing all the collateral with one single pantone,” Picanyol adds, whilst “at the same time we wanted to avoid using a lot of ink so we thought, why don’t we choose blue materials instead of printing on white papers?” The result is a wonderful cohesion of blues that keep the eclectic tone of voice the space itself exudes and the city it inhabits.