Bargello

DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE, NC

BRANDING, RETAIL DESIGN + WEB

 

It’s not every day you get to work on a project that allows branding to engage your customers at every touch point. Bargello, a mediterranean-inspired restaurant and its sister bar, District 42 were just that kind of project.

The brand identity was inspired by early 20th century Italian and Parisian retail signage. The cheeky iconography system pokes fun at traditional mediterranean restaurant imagery – our version of Aphrodite, olives, octopus, etc. The icons tell a story and hint at the quality of the dining experience, food and culture.

The Solution

 

Martha and Peter Pollay, the owner’s of Bargello wanted their philosophy of bringing people together around their love of food and community used as the overarching brand theme. In advising on interior design, we thought a lot about a warm, inviting design that complements the food and accents all of the natural light that fills the space. We designed a scallop pattern that we utilized on custom metal screens, the banquettes, host stand, and other accents. 

Inspired by octopus prints from Salvador Dali, Martha asked us to research and try our hand at making octopus ink prints to use on some of the print collateral. This fun project can be seen on the Bargello postcards and coasters. 

From brand identity, menu design, interior design consulting, to custom metalwork and mosaics we were able to apply the brand vision across the board, a designer’s dream!

Label design photo by Tanja Kuic.

Martha Pollay
Chief Creative Officer at Bargello + Mandara Hospitality Group
​‌“We teamed up with Atlas to launch our new restaurant concepts. I can't image finding a better creative partner. Aside from having an incredibly talented and efficient team, they are easy to communicate and work with. They have the knowledge and capabilities you’d expect to find in New York firm with the added benefit of being transparent, approachable and economical. I absolutely treasure our relationship and look forward to our next project together."