Naming, Brand Identity, Message Development, Graphic Design
Understory is a food hall and marketplace destination now open at Capitol Tower in downtown Houston. In collaboration with Skanska and Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, lookthinkmake was tasked with developing the name of the community hub, and crafting the brand identity and initial tagline and messaging. Understory’s name is derived from the multilevel nature of the space, connecting the ground level of the 35-story tower to Houston’s network of downtown pedestrian tunnels below.
The Understory brand design articulates a modern and clean aesthetic that reflects the contemporary and upscale design of the physical space. Blending monoweight lines into shapes that break their own planes, the overall graphic approach hints at the crossovers, discoveries, and connections that one will encounter as they explore the upstairs-downstairs marketplace and pass through on their way to their daily destinations.
