The Apollo is a modern Australian Greek restaurant in Potts Point, Sydney. I had the honour of designing both the brand and website from start to finish while working as a brand designer as Ascender.
The Brief
The branding needed to transport rustic, quintessentially Greek cuisine to modern Australia while avoiding overused clichés. It also had to reflect the restaurant’s unique industrial-chic, art deco building, whilst incorporating fun and vibrancy.
The Apollo
Branding, Digital, Collateral
The Answer
The logotype was handcrafted and inspired by the building’s beautiful deco design. The use of box board gave the rustic feel, with a pop of fluorescent orange and pink for the modern touch. The custom neon colourway was inspired by newsprints dating back to 1939 – from signage, floral prints and traditional dress. It was used then throughout the space with small accents at the top of pillars to delicate stitched upholstery.
The digital component was to translate their restaurant experience online. The solution was an interactive homepage and structured subpages using texture and colour from the core brand.
The Outcome
The new brand world does their vision of bringing authentic Greek food to Sydney real justice. It feels distinctly Mediterranean without a splash of blue and white anywhere. The Apollo was shortlisted for Best Identity Design and jointly won the Best Restaurant Design at the 2012 Eat-Drink-Design Awards
