Circa Coffee Shop

Project Overview:

CIRCA is a conceptual coffee and co-working brand created for students, freelancers, and creatives who thrive in the “in-between hours.” The brand blends futuristic minimalism with a warm, editorial sensibility — positioning coffee not just as fuel, but as a ritual of inspiration, reflection, and connection.

Objective:

The goal was to design a timeless, editorial-inspired identity that:

Appeals to students, freelancers, and design-conscious consumers
Differentiates CIRCA from traditional coffee shops through a calm, sophisticated aesthetic
Creates a system that works seamlessly across physical (cups, bags, signage) and digital (app, social, website) touchpoints
Communicates CIRCA’s concept of time, flow, and ritual

Challenges:

Standing Out in a Saturated Market
Coffee branding is often playful or rustic — CIRCA needed a distinct, elevated look that avoided clichés.

Balancing Futuristic + Warm
The brand needed to feel innovative and forward-thinking while still being approachable and community-driven.
Designing for Versatility
The identity system had to adapt across tiny digital spaces (favicons, app icons) and large-scale applications (signage, posters, packaging).

Design Process:

Research & Moodboarding

Studied editorial design, time-based motifs, and minimalist cafés.
Pulled inspiration from clock faces, vinyl records, and timeless typography.

Concept Development
- Explored typographic wordmarks with custom ligatures (C–R connections, period endings).
- Created monogram and circular logomark variations referencing time and cycles.
Color & Typography Exploration
- Chose a neutral core palette (black, cream, gray) with editorial accents (warm taupe, muted gold).
- Paired a high-contrast serif for logos with a modern sans/mono for details.
Applications & Mockups
- Designed packaging (coffee bags, cups, bottles) using negative space and minimal typography.
- Built collateral: tote bags, menus, and zine-style inserts.
- Created digital/social templates with consistent type-driven layouts.

Outcome:

A cohesive identity system that balances modern editorial elegance with futuristic simplicity.

Packaging concepts that stand out in retail while remaining minimal and timeless.
Social media grid and collateral that translate CIRCA’s "time + creativity" ethos into daily touchpoints.
A scalable logomark that works across both merchandise and digital platforms.

Key Achievements:

Distinctive Positioning: CIRCA avoids common coffee shop branding tropes (rustic craft, neon playfulness) and instead creates a luxury-editorial niche.

Timeless Versatility: Identity system works from micro (social avatar) to macro (signage/packaging).
Memorable Concept: Subtle integration of time and cycles makes the brand story stronger and more relatable to its target audience.
Portfolio Value: Demonstrates ability to design for hospitality, retail, and lifestyle sectors with a refined, scalable identity system.