Austrian design studio Bruch designed the brand identity for 'Speiselokal Aiche,' a restaurant located in the Alps region of Bad Hofgastein. Starting from the achievements of chef and operator Tobias Eichhorn and his attitude of collecting and preserving high-quality ingredients, the design portrays the restaurant as a culinary fairy tale.
The brand world features squirrels and various animal characters that gather ingredients, cook, and share food. Illustrations inspired by the nature and folklore of the Alps have been applied to menus, business cards, invitations, coasters, gift certificates, and tableware, allowing customers to discover stories before and after their meals.
The center of the visual system is the acorn. The acorn serves as a logo representing the brand, and transforms into a food ingredient collected by animals or a decorative element that fills the screen. By utilizing it as a graphic device that changes its role according to the situation rather than a symbol fixed in a single form, consistency and variation were imparted to various touchpoints.
It is also characterized by the combination of Roberts Rurans' expressive illustrations over concise and organized typography. Warm colors and hand-drawn-like forms connect with the restaurant's interior—including old wood, fabrics, fireplaces, and historic arched spaces—conveying the sense of place in the Alps.
Instead of directly describing the quality or luxury of the food, this identity developed the operator's name and the habit of collecting ingredients into a brand narrative. Centered on the memorable relationship between acorns and squirrels, the restaurant's personality was built by weaving stories into the space, food, and printed materials.
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