Project
West Point Luxury Hotels, BCIT
Scope
Branding, Web Design, Print Collateral
Date
May 2023
What is West Point?
This collaborative project was undertaken by our team of four at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. My primary role was as the lead brand designer, where I developed the brand identity and created print collateral. I also worked on Figma prototypes and assisted with WordPress design.
Our instructor acted as a client, approaching us with a brief to create a brand and website for a fictional luxury hotel business, West Point Luxury Hotels.
The hotel aimed to target couples and businesspeople seeking a relaxing and/or romantic getaway.
Brand Identity
We had regular meetings to ensure the client was happy with our progress, and we made sure to follow the specific do’s and don’ts such as avoiding the colour green in branding and ensuring the brand identity evoked a high-end luxury feeling.
Our primary objective was to ensure our target audience would be drawn to West Point. The neutral, classy colours and elegant typefaces were all chosen specifically to ensure the most prestigious look for the most prestigious guests.
Upholding Luxury
Throughout the design process, maintaining thematic consistency was essential to effectively communicating the desired brand identity. By adhering to a cohesive visual language across all elements, from colour schemes to typography to imagery, the design reinforces the overarching theme of luxury and exclusivity, thereby resonating with the target audience's preferences and expectations.
Each layout decision was informed by an understanding of the target audience and their specific needs and preferences. Whether it's the arrangement of content on the website to facilitate intuitive navigation or the design of logos for subsidiary businesses to evoke distinct yet complementary atmospheres, each component of the brand was designed to complement each other.
Subsidiary Branding
West Point Hotel houses two high-end diners: the Royal Oasis Restaurant and the Ocean Breeze Café. As the lead brand designer, I was tasked with designing logos for both of these businesses. The client requested that each logo invoke its own unique feeling while maintaining a cohesive visual style under the umbrella of West Point.
I made sure to use similar shapes throughout all three logos but gave each one a unique flair while upholding the luxury brand aesthetic.
Information Architechture
The organization and presentation of information within the website and branding materials play a crucial role in shaping the overall user experience. Adopting a user-centric approach, the layout prioritizes clarity and ease of navigation, ensuring that visitors can effortlessly access relevant information about the hotel, its amenities, and dining options.
Thoughtful consideration is given to the hierarchy of content, with key details prominently featured and supplementary information readily accessible through intuitive navigation pathways.
Development
Our team began by creating low-fidelity prototypes on Figma, which we then refined into high-fidelity prototypes, branding, and finally the WordPress site itself.
While I participated in all aspects of the project, my primary focus was on branding. I helped to finalize the website's design and graphics and ensure top-notch quality of all deliverables.