In 2008, a prestigious hotel group invited us to create the identity, name, and graphic personality for a new luxury boutique hotel in central Barcelona. Occupying a spectacular noucentista property (nouncentisme was an early 20th century Catalan cultural movement), the hotel combines a Barcelonan spirit with the style of British interior designer Kelly Hoppen.

The name, Murmuri, is a Catalan word with an international feel. Evoking a suitably cosmopolitan atmosphere, it also recalls the English word ‘murmur’, as one might hear at the junction of a quiet alley and a vibrant city street – precisely where the hotel is located. The onomatopoeic character and rhythm of the name presented countless possibilities for typographic interpretation.

The project also required identities for the hotel’s restaurant and bar – celebrating their individual qualities while associating them with the overall brand. The symbol created for the Asian themed restaurant uses the two Ms in Murmuri. We changed the direction of the letters so they resembled an Asian symbol, while collateral features origami inspired symbols. The “Bar marfil” occupies the same spot as its 1960s namesake – at the time, one of the city’s most glamorous bars. To celebrate this heritage, we created collages using period imagery, expressing a sense of freedom and hedonistic fun, albeit in a distinctly luxurious manner.