Evanston Bike Cafe
Evanston Bike Café is a downtown Evanston-based hybrid shop and café dedicated to the culture of cycling and community. This project focused on creating a timeless brand identity that honors the historic transit architecture of the Davis Street Metra station and the energy of a major regional hub.
Concept Development
The initial design phase involved an extensive visual exploration to anchor the brand in its South Dakota roots. I experimented with several symbolic directions, including:
Kinetic Transit: Utilizing the forward motion of a bicycle to represent the hustle and bustle of morning and evening commutes through this central hub.
Functional Iconography: Incorporating the profile of a bike chain ring to double as a rising or setting sun, symbolizing the shop’s dual role from early morning coffee to evening bike repairs.
Typographic Studies: Developing a typographic system that balances the grit of a mechanical shop with the refined, historic character of the Metra station architecture.
Description
Evanston Bike Cafe
Goal
The objective was to craft a timeless brand story for a hybrid café and bike shop located on the Davis Street Metra platform. The design captures the intersection of cycling culture and the energy of a downtown Evanston coffee hub.
Strategy
The Davis Street Metra station is a major transit artery connecting Chicago, the North Shore, and Northwestern University. To account for high commuter foot traffic and the historic architecture of the space, the branding needed a sense of permanence. The visual direction balances the mechanical nature of cycling with an inviting atmosphere that respects the character of the transit hub.
Deliverables
Hybrid Brand Identity: A logo system bridging the gap between bike mechanics and artisanal coffee.
Environmental Design: Visual touchpoints created to stand out within a high-traffic historic commuter environment.
Community Language: A cohesive style positioning the café as a cultural anchor for Evanston and the surrounding university community.