Client, Year

Klein, Dolben 2024

Services

Naming & Taglines
Messaging & Tone

Logo

Identity Development
Wayfinding
Placemaking
Architectural Signage
ADA Signage
Stationery
Motion Graphics
Brand Applications

Opal Largo Station

High-end residences in a feel-good atmosphere

Opal Largo Station, a new apartment community in the D.C. metro area, was in need of a brand identity to match its high-end appeal. The project hinged on choosing a name that could capture the property’s strengths and resonate with its target audience. We worked with the Klein and Dolben teams to put “opal” at the center, then, built an other-worldly experience around it by leveraging the visual identity, as well as the interior and exterior design, to create a space that feels as good as it looks.

When naming, we focused on differentiating the project from a significant amount of nearby competitors, creating a unique sense of place, and introducing a conceptual framework we could create a brand around. Ultimately, we landed on Opal, because, throughout history, it has been celebrated as a natural source of joy and inspiration—two feelings we wanted to spark in each resident.

Like an opal, the logo was built to have an organic and dream-like look. All of the forms are round, including the lowercase letters, and their oval counters mimic the halo effect surrounding the type. The geotag is rendered in an italic mono, whose slant nicely follows the angle of the logo’s letterforms.

The mood-ring inspired palette shifts from dark to light, then back again, to reflect the feel-good atmosphere always present at Opal. Its mix of cool blues and warm tans mimics the stone’s own color variations. The result is something akin to an elevated lava lamp, optimized for peace and relaxation.

We repurposed the logo’s oval throughout the brand to emphasize the singularity of the space and the individuality of its residents. Its size and slant change depending on the situation, and it can be animated to draw particular attention to key community features.

One of Opal’s key differentiators was its location next to Largo Station at the end of D.C.’s Silver line. We created a signature brand video to highlight this advantage.

Printed assets made clever use of the brand’s key visual elements. Custom oval die cuts and spot printing techniques lent a tactile quality and encouraged prospective residents to engage with the materials.

Consistent across all was Opal’s striking color palette, which can go “light” or “dark” for maximum impact.

Inside the building, oval design elements interact with the space’s more organic forms to emphasize Opal’s signature blend of high quality and vibrancy.

Even the room signs were made from custom, multi-colored acrylic as an interpretation of the brand’s mood-ring persona. Their semi-transparency interacts with the light as residents walk by.

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