When a group of Vancouver developers wanted to re-imagine an aging compact apartment / B&B tower, they knew they had a challenge. Shaughnessy Village had been a fixture on West 12th Avenue for decades, serving tourists, hospital visitors and students. With apartment sizes ranging from 150 to 250 square feet, this property was designed to cater to temporary visitors.
The group envisioned a whole building upgrade, renovating each small suite and turning the main floor from old couches and a restaurant into a spacious shared living lounge and amenity area.
First they needed to identify the key messages, target markets and opportunities for this new form of urban living. Unicycle Creative facilitated a Brand Centering™ session to explore a range of values and expressions.
Next, the team needed an identity that could bring this property’s perception up to date with its modernization, while describing a whole new style of living. We generated as list of name and opsitioning concepts, using mood boards to identify colours, textures, messaging and style for the living concept.
The team ultimately settled on the name APT. As an abbreviation for the word apartment, it instantly describes the compact suites. It also alludes to the idea of a smarter utilization of space, with shared amenities that make this style incredibly appropriate for the times. Unicycle Creative handled full logo development, website content, photo shoot and creative direction.
We also worked with the architect, Marianne Amodio, to provide inspiring interior graphics and wayfinding signage for all common areas.
The result is stable, long-term tenancy and a living experience that provides a new, accessible form of rental living to the Vancouver market.
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