Saint-Urbain frames the West Village as something you do, not visit

The Brand Identity: Most of Manhattan surrenders to the grid, but the West Village refuses. Streets curve without warning, intersect at improbable angles, and dead-end where you least expect them. When Saint-Urbain was commissioned to develop the identity for the West Village Partnership – the Business Improvement District serving this particular corner of New York – the studio began with that geographic stubbornness, translating the neighbourhood’s irregular block geometry into a system of shifting scales and off-kilter alignments.

This exploratory direction, which remains unimplemented, reframes a familiar place through an unfamiliar proposition: that ‘Village’ might function as a verb. The verbal identity pivots on phrases like ‘Together, We Village’ and ‘Bloom, Play, Village’ – constructions that bend grammar with deliberate purpose. Alex Ostroff, Creative Director at Saint-Urbain, explains that the approach emerged from the brief’s focus on community: “The West Village is defined less by landmarks and more by participation – people showing up, being creative, supporting local businesses and sharing public space.

That sense of collective life has always been part of the neighbourhood’s identity, from its artistic history to its role as a gathering place.” The phrasing echoes how the neighbourhood is experienced through moments and interactions rather than formal descriptions, positioning residents and visitors as active participants rather than passive observers. For the wordmark, the studio drew on late-1960s and early-70s American vernacular typography found on neighbourhood posters, hand-set signage, and letterpress prints.

Ostroff notes that there’s a deliberate nod to letterpress and typewriter-era forms: “Slightly irregular curves, generous weight and a sense of pressure in the shapes give the wordmark a tactile quality. It feels human, lived-in and expressive.” The studio liked the idea of writers, artists and activists typing away near Washington Square Park, producing work that was direct, imperfect and meant to be shared.

This warmth carries through to the supporting typography, Greed Condensed from Displaay, which Guillaume Lavallée and the design team selected for its ability to sit comfortably between past and present – much like a neighbourhood that has always balanced history with reinvention. The colour palette was pulled directly from street-level observation. Greens arrive from parks and tree-lined blocks, warm oranges and yellows from signage and everyday commerce, pinks connected to Pride and celebration, and deeper tones to anchor the system.

The visual language also borrows from West Village poster culture, particularly the Beat-era energy where type was direct, oversized and designed to be absorbed quickly. Ostroff describes how the studio leaned into the neighbourhood’s refusal of Manhattan’s grid: “The typography and layouts are intentionally a little off-balance, with shifts in scale and alignment that echo the way the streets move and intersect.

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The article discusses an innovative branding strategy that redefines a neighborhood's identity, which is significant for brand strategy professionals focused on community engagement and experiential branding.