ToTToRI
Omakase Sushi RestaurantNew York, US - 2024
︎Visual Identity ︎Illustration︎Character Design︎Collateral Design
Created by &LANA • © &LANA LLC.
Summary
I was tasked with creating the complete visual identity for ToTToRI, an omakase sushi restaurant concept originally planned for The Brooklyn Mirage in Brooklyn, New York. The project encompassed the logo and icon, typography, color system, custom illustrations and character design, restaurant collateral, and a conceptual storefront developed directly from the architecture of the visual identity.My role involved the following:
- Visual Identity and Guidelines: Developed a complete visual system for ToTToRI, including a custom logo and icon, typography, color palette, graphic language, and application principles. The wordmark was designed with an architectural idea embedded into its letterforms, allowing the identity to extend naturally beyond graphic applications and into the physical restaurant concept.
- Illustration and Character Design: Created a series of original illustrations and a custom character for the restaurant, adding a distinctive and playful layer to the identity while maintaining the refinement of an intimate omakase experience. The illustration language was designed to work cohesively across menus, collateral, and environmental applications.
- Collateral Design: Designed the restaurant's guest-facing collateral, including menus, chopsticks, coasters, napkins, and additional branded details. Each element was treated as part of a unified visual system, creating consistency across the smaller touchpoints of the dining experience.
- Storefront Design: Developed the conceptual exterior of the restaurant directly from the ToTToRI wordmark. The two circular "o" letterforms were translated into round architectural windows, while the central space created by the "TT" became the entrance. This transformed the logo into an architectural framework, connecting the graphic identity and physical space through a single recognizable design idea.
Goal
The goal was to create a contemporary omakase identity that felt refined and intentional without relying entirely on the visual conventions typically associated with luxury Japanese dining. ToTToRI was designed to have its own recognizable personality, combining a disciplined visual system with character-driven illustration and unexpected graphic details.A central idea was to create a visual identity capable of becoming part of the restaurant itself. By developing the logo and storefront together, the ToTToRI wordmark could move beyond signage and become an architectural element, with its circular forms and central letter structure defining the windows and entrance of the space. From the menu and table details to the exterior concept, the result was designed as one cohesive restaurant experience rather than a collection of separate branded applications.
Client
ToTToRI was conceived as an intimate omakase sushi concept originally planned for a location within The Brooklyn Mirage, the flagship outdoor venue of the Avant Gardner entertainment complex in Brooklyn, New York. The planned restaurant did not ultimately move forward following the venue's closure and the financial restructuring of Avant Gardner. The ToTToRI visual identity and restaurant concept were completed as a standalone design system with the flexibility to be adapted to a future location.*This project was completed on behalf of &LANA, and collaborated with the &LANA creative team throughout the entire process. For inquiries about this project, please contact hi@andlana.co