The Park Café by Chef, Richard Corrigan
Coming back to Dublin was always going to be a big deal for Chef Richard Corrigan. He wanted a local Irish agency to bring his vision to life and originality was key.
sector
Hospitality
services
Brand Identity
Website Design & Build
Social Media Strategy
Training
Project Management
Research & Analysis
Collateral Design & Roll Out
Something that struck us early on, and something we were very grateful for throughout the project, is that Richard Corrigan is a total creative. He was clear about this from the beginning and allowed us to really have fun when it came to developing the new identity for The Park Café.
With the Corrigan’s, their enterprise is a family affair with Richard’s son Richard Jr leading the charge. After the look and feel for the restaurant was finalised, we worked closely with Richard Jr on the visual approach, strategy for social and the website design and build.
Interior Bar Signage & Interiors, photos by Storybord
Virginia Park Lodge, Richard’s haven in Cavan, and specifically the Gooseberry Gardens, formed the inspiration for the brand visuals. We created a playful, engaging brand aesthetic that could easily be applied to all elements of the roll-out. The brand purpose (as outlined below) ‘serving you the park on a platter’ inspired a suite of elements that could be used in a variety of combinations.
Developing a suite of illustrations and using a bold, retro-futuristic typeface helped create the vibrancy and movement that brings the brand to life. The illustrations and colour palette were inspired by mid-century styles and led to a simple approach to animation that we integrated throughout the website UI.
Brand Guidelines Document for The Park Cafe
BRAND IDEA
Seeping into all aspects of The Park Cafe, the brand idea; “raised right”, ties into the provenance of the food, the drinks and how the staff treat both customers and each other. The veg has been grown and harvested with care, the host greets you with a smile and treats you with respect.
BRAND PURPOSE
The brand purpose “serving you the park on a platter” aims to capture the essence of the Gooseberry Garden in VPL. Bringing the park inside to an urban city suburb fosters a sense of abundant feasting with family and friends. An environment that is refreshingly inviting and authentic with zero compromise on the quality of the food or service.
The Park Café exists to inspire and celebrate the joy that food brings. Think of the little hand clap a customer makes when the food is coming to their table or that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you’re perfectly full. Like Goldilocks asleep in the bear’s house after eating the porridge that was ‘just right’.
Exterior windbreaker and neon sign design, photos by Storybord
EAT LIKE A PIG, DRINK LIKE A FISH
As the opening date edged closer, we consulted with the team about interiors, signage (from the neon pig to the lightbox), an outdoor menu box (custom-made), awnings, wind breakers and photography.
With rave reviews hitting the headlines and only a few weeks under their belts, it is great to watch The Park Café hit the ground running. As Richard said, “what a pleasure when unbridled, enthusiastic and beautiful people” come together.