Hellenika
How do you reimagine a contemporary classic in an entirely new setting? The answer: a design approach guided by considered reinvention.
Ensconced on The Calile Hotel’s now-iconic pool deck, Hellenika is modern Greek dining redefined — think: private cabana, spritz-in-hand, fresh pita taramasalata within reach — all under the accomplished eye of owner Simon Gloftis and within Richards and Spence’s idyllic, care-free surrounds.
Hellenika respects tradition, but is a fresh approach to Hellenic cuisine — with a design strategy that reflects this. After eight years of the restaurant’s roaring success on the Gold Coast, we led a process of considered reinvention for the culinary destination — across brand identity, print, web, signage, and photography — as it set up its new, sister establishment within The Calile Hotel.
But how do you capture the energy of an established business in a new environment? Our answer was conceiving an identity that acknowledges Hellenika’s authentic Greek roots without being tokenistic; and nods to details familiar to regulars, yet still inviting to first-time diners.
A light grey recalls the colour of the distinctive marble bar at the heart of the restaurant and is applied as a unifying hue across all print collateral. The iconic Hellenika pink, a familiar blush utilised in the Gold Coast restaurant’s take away bags, is reintroduced as a warm pink foil: the design equivalent of an enlivening squeeze of lemon on a fresh Greek salad.
The result aligns with and draws cues from The Calile Hotel’s unique interior spaces and materials while establishing a distinguishing character all of its own.
Project Scope
- Brand Identity
- Stationery
- Signage
- Custom Website
- Digital Assets
- Marketing Collateral
Credits
- Architecture Richards & Spence
- Photography Toby Scott David Chatfield
- Strategy, Messaging, Marketing & PR New Initiative