crafting a hospitality branding concept under time pressuere

HOW WE TRANSFORMED MYTHOLOGICAL STATUES INTO A HOSPITALITY BRANDING

The House of the Four Atlases on Brno’s Svoboda Square served as the key inspiration behind the branding for the gastropub U Mamlasů. Together with my colleague BcA. Kryštof Henzl, we developed a visual identity that echoes the strength and symbolism of the building’s sculptural giants, while positioning the restaurant as a modern, high-standard hospitality venue.

HOW WE TRANSFORMED MYTHOLOGICAL STATUES INTO A HOSPITALITY BRANDING

The House of the Four Atlases on Brno’s Svoboda Square served as the key inspiration behind the branding for the gastropub U Mamlasů. Together with my colleague BcA. Kryštof Henzl, we developed a visual identity that echoes the strength and symbolism of the building’s sculptural giants, while positioning the restaurant as a modern, high-standard hospitality venue.

CASE STUDY OVERVIEW

CASE STUDY OVERVIEW

CLIENT

KOBE Gastro Group

my role

Brand & Print Designer

duration

2 weeks

the Challenge

the Challenge

In May 2021 we have been asked to participate in a comptetiton for the branding of the new Brno-situated pub U Mamlasů. The client had a simple wish – incorporate the mythological Atlases into the branding, as they are a publicly known dominant of the building the pub is going to be located in.

We were also tasked with reflecting the vision of a sophisticated and guest-friendly establishment in an extremely short period of time – on 12th of May we received the brief and on 26th a presentation to the client took place.

Market & Competitor research

To ensure the uniqueness of the brand, we conducted location-specific and nationwide brand research. We mapped and analyzed all visual identities used on Svoboda Square to avoid visual clashes. We reviewed successful gastro brands across the Czech Republic — especially those under the Ambiente umbrella — to identify tone, style, and brand presence in the hospitality scene.

design process

With research complete and the brief approved by the VŠKK’s Kreativní Kancl, we moved into sketching and prototyping. We began with hand-drawn concepts, gradually simplifying the sculptures into scalable, logo-ready assets. We prepared several identity directions and presented them to both the school’s committee and the client.

With research complete and the brief approved by the VŠKK’s Kreativní Kancl, we moved into sketching and prototyping. We began with hand-drawn concepts, gradually simplifying the sculptures into scalable, logo-ready assets. We prepared several identity directions and presented them to both the school’s committee and the client.

first concepts

final identity

Our final concept centers around the minimalist M on a pedestal, symbolizing both the Mamlas sculptures and the support of a solid brand foundation. This motif became the anchor for all brand touchpoints – from menus and signage to packaging and social media.

Public Response

The brand quickly gained traction with visitors. As seen on Google Maps and Czech second-hand marketplaces, customers frequently photograph the logo and even resell branded merchandise — a strong indicator of emotional connection and brand recognition.

Reflection

Reflection

This project marked the beginning of a strong creative partnership with Kryštof Henzl, with whom I’ve since collaborated on several successful projects. The competition gave us both valuable insight into real-world workflows, collaboration with clients, and rapid concept delivery under pressure.

Acknowledgements

my thanks

Miroslav Roubíček,
Miroslav Roubíček

Head of Design at VŠKK, for inviting me to take part and supervising us during the competition.

Kreativní Kancl

For the opportunity to work on a real client brief and always asking us to create additional graphics for the client.

Jakub kaderka

For his valuable feedback and guidance throughout the process