Chuan Noodle

About the Brand

Brand Story

Sichuan cuisine is one of the four major styles of cooking in China. Chuan Noodle is founded by a homesick immigrant who wants to bring the special cuisine to Vancouver. Chuan Noodle offers authentic rice noodles from Sichuan, China – a beloved and distinctive cuisine. Reflecting the warmth and optimism of Sichuanese culture, Chuan Noodle embodies rich flavors, spiciness, and versatility.

Demographics

Hastings-Sunrise is a primarily residential neighborhood featuring New Brighton Park with its waterfront and numerous facilities. The area benefits from good transit and an abundance of restaurants and stores. It has a large immigrant population, historically Italian-Canadian and now predominantly Chinese. The population is aging, with a low rate of new residents.

Mind Map

Logo

For the logo process, the goal was to blend Chinese culture with the noodle house vibe, not simply by including Chinese characters. The image of a river flowing from a mountain to the ocean was chosen for its cultural significance. ‘Chuan’ (川) means river in Chinese, and the saying ‘All rivers flow into the ocean’ (海纳百川) reflects the generous and welcoming nature of the Sichuan people. Sichuan is also known for its mountains, and ‘Chuan’ is often paired with the word for mountain (山). The three wavy lines represent both noodles and rivers while mimicking the Chinese character ‘川’. The words ‘Chuan Noodle’ were incorporated into the icon to complete the design. However, the mountain appeared visually heavier than the elements beneath. To lighten it, I experimented with different directions and settled on using three lines and shades to create volume and suggest lighting.

Despite this, the design felt too symbolic and lacked the feel of a restaurant. To address this, I trimmed the bottom of the icon into a bowl shape to better convey the noodle house concept. I also separated the wordmark from the icon to improve legibility and responsiveness. A hibiscus, a local flower, was added to fill the space between the chopstick and ocean, also serving as a pattern on the bowl. Unlike the other elements, the flower was hand-drawn and traced in Illustrator to maintain a natural touch. The thick edge of the flower echoes the style of the mountain and balances its weight.

The wordmark is customized from the typeface FinalSix, whose wide and rounded shape conveys a friendly appearance. All lowercase letters were used to emphasize the restaurant's stress-free atmosphere. The carved ends and the even stroke weights of the typeface evoke the look of noodles. To create smooth curves and avoid straight lines, the edges of the letters were trimmed. The logo was finalized using grids and adheres to the golden ratio wherever possible.

Colour Palette

I chose a monochrome color palette to reflect the casual and welcoming feel of the restaurant. Red, symbolizing luck, prosperity, and celebration in Chinese culture, also represents passion and energy. It is known to stimulate appetite and is commonly used in the branding of restaurants and food products. A white with a pink touch was selected as another primary colour to enhance the logo’s visibility and impact against a red background in various scenarios.

Typography

Except for the logo, FinalSix is also used for body text and subtitle. It has rounded tops and bottoms, creating a wavy feeling. The characters are fun and neatly shaped, echoing the structure found in Chinese characters. The inviting look and good readability makes it ideal for versatile designs including menu and website.

Novibes Display is used for print titles such as posters, flyers, and packaging due to its playful and blocky feel. Its similar structure to Finalfix makes it a complementary pairing.

Brand in Use

Playful illustrations with fluid lines are key visual elements for the project. A character of a chef was designed to represent the restaurant's friendliness, with a cartoony look and exaggerated features to depict iconic scenes of making and serving noodles. Clean and thin lines maintain consistency with the logo design. The repeated use and combinations of elements like the mountain, flower, and river strengthen the brand identity and allow for various designs in different scenarios.

For the sandwich board, the lower content is less visible due to the viewing angles, making it essential to place key information at the top. Memorable graphics and concise information make the board more accessible and engaging for passersby.

Fish, symbolizing 'abundance,' is a common motif in Chinese utensils. The design for the chopstick cover features an uplifting image of fish swimming upward. The weight and density of lines were carefully selected and experimented with to ensure detailed and cohesive visuals. The postcard design takes a more elegant direction with a Zen vibe, embodying a concentrated reflection of Chinese aesthetics. The Chinese typeface was chosen and customized to match the characteristics of Finalfix, including the curvature of the strokes.

The illustrations extend to the takeout box, drink cup, punch card, and interior back wall, each thoughtfully matched to its product. The punch card design seamlessly integrates essential information with functional elements to boost customer loyalty. The back wall design features illustrations of seasonings and the brand story, creating an immersive experience that educates customers about Sichuan culture and cuisine. The window sign design is straightforward and makes the brand visible from a distance.

The poster designs demonstrate how to integrate photos with colours, illustrations, and text. Outlined photos and bold, heavy fonts are employed to evoke motion and stimulate appetite. Twisted and curved fonts are used to create an intense, emotive impact.

Packaging

The rice noodles packaging design aimed at expanding brand influence and increasing customer engagement. The box's size and proportions are carefully calculated. Viewers’ attention is guided by the text towards the focal point—the hero illustration. The text layout narrows from top to bottom, forming a bowl shape. Iconic wavy lines are used on the front and back to add movement and enliven the design. The Chinese character “川” visually connects the waves, creating a subtle continuity. The slogan 'Relive memories in one bite' is placed at the top of the box, offering an expressive message when the customer opens it.

On the back of the box, the brand story is showcased to enhance brand recognition. A set of custom icons illustrating the cooking process is designed to organize the text effectively.

Menu

An 8.5”x11” one-page design is chosen for the menu, balancing content and convenience. The menu is bilingual, with careful attention to the visual harmony between Chinese and English. Having more strokes and complex structures, Chinese characters are presented in lighter weights before or after the heavier text to avoid breaking the natural reading flow. A set of custom icons for flavours are designed to enhance accessibility. An eye-catching logo at the top and an illustration at the bottom highlight the relaxing vibe and frame the content in the middle.

Summary

This project serves as an exploration in brand identity design. Based on brand positioning and emphasis, various special collateral items were designed, including utensils, punch cards, packaging, and menus. By adopting the perspective of both the brand owner and customers, I selected items that are both engaging and useful. The key outcomes include the development of industry-standard brand guidelines, the application of brand identity across different media, and a heightened awareness of materials and environments.

Working with a single colour presented another challenge. Emphasis on typography hierarchy, spacing, and layout was crucial. Creating contrast through line weights and colour proportions added movement to the designs, while the use of proximity ensured consistency and cohesion.