BRAND IDENTITY
ART DIRECTION

DESIGN DIRECTION AYA BAESHEAN

Every story has a story

Designed for the Book Brothers by famed architect Louis Kamper in 1926, Book Tower is one of Detroit’s most iconic structures, standing 38 stories tall. When economic downturn struck Detroit in the late 80s, Book Tower was completely abandoned and left untouched, up until a few years ago.

Named one of The World’s 11 Most Beautiful Repurposed Buildings by Architectural Digest, Book Tower has now been meticulously restored to merge historic design and modern amenities into a unique example of adaptive reuse. As the lead designer, I developed the logo, brand identity system, and website design under the guidance of my incredible design director, Aya Baeshean.

Directly inspired by the beautifully restored atrium, the logo draws shapes from these gorgeous arches spotted upon entrance into the building. Inspiration for the primary typeface was pulled directly from original Book Building documents, and informed by existing neoclassical type found throughout the building. Further illustrations and graphic treatments were inspired by the eclectic, ornate motifs that adorn all 38 stories. The result is modern yet classic; fresh yet grounded in history.