Client / Overview

Byrdi is a uniquely Australian bar located in the ELLA precinct of Melbourne Central. The local environment not only informs the drinks at Byrdi but its identity as well. Our brief was to reflect the natural, minimal ethos of its founders, Luke Whearty and Aki Nishikura. 

The hand-rendered Byrdi symbol simultaneously references a bird in flight and a cross-section of landscape or sea bed. Typography in the logo (and headings elsewhere) are treated with a wabi-sabi approach; imperfectly spaced like trees in a field.

The colour palette is a reflection of the Australian landscape, with soil, sand and sea all represented. Hand printed textures call to mind the natural physical environment.

When birds feature in the design – as on the coffee packaging and wine label (and Luke's neck tattoo!) – they are drawn loosely with lines and dots to echo the raw design approach and bring energy to the designs.

The logo for Byrdi. The hand-rendered Byrdi symbol simultaneously references a bird in flight and a cross-section of landscape or sea bed. The symbol sits above the wordmark. The logo is maroon on a hand printed textured background.
Closeups of the Byrdi aprons showing embroidered logotype (left) and symbol (right) on natural linen.
Closeup of Byrdi symbol as a black decal on the window.
Side-by-side images of Byrdi bottled cocktails with the labels screen-printed directly onto the bottle: “Bee Pollen Refashioned” (left) and “Lamington” (right).
Five Byrdi bottled cocktails sitting on a wooden table. The cocktails are in shades of orange and red.
Collection of five Byrdi mini bottled cocktails displayed on a wooden surface in shades of red and orange.
Mustard yellow type displays the Byrdi definition on a blue textured background.
Exterior of Byrdi bar showing logo laser cut out of steel on the oversized pivoting door. Through the window we can see three bartenders working.
Closeup of two bird illustrations as a black decal on the Byrdi window. Birds are drawn loosely with lines and dots.
Person pouring a Byrdi x Kind Folk Pet Nat into a glass. On the bottle are illustrations of two welcome swallows.
Six bottles of Byrdi x Kind Folk Pet Nat sitting on a grey surface. Left hand bottle is open and half empty.
Three bottles of Byrdi x Kind Folk Pet Nat #2 sitting on a grey surface (left) and illustration of two New Holland Honeyeaters in grey on a blue and red textured background as featured on the label design (right).
Byrdi coffee packaging sitting on a wooden table next to a coffee cup.
Closeup of Byrdi coffee packaging showing logo and bird printed in brown.
“V is for Vermouth” label design (left) and Byrdi highball label designs showing white type screen-printed directly onto the clear bottle.
Illuminated shelving displaying glass jars full of various preserves aka the Byrdi incubation station. Each jar has a hand drawn outline of an egg in white.
Closeup of jars in Byrdi’s incubation station showing green leaves and orange flowers steeping in liquid.
Illustration of a Starling bird drawn loosely with lines and dots in a dark green on a textured brown background.
Illustrations of birds: left image shows a closeup of a bird tattooed onto a neck, while the right image shows a bird illustration on the back of a maroon hoodie.
Various social posts for previous Byrdi events.

Project Credits

Design, Typography & Illustration:
Drooly Noted

Copywriting:
Katie Moore

Photography:
Jana Langhorst
Drooly Noted (Window Decals, Incubation Station, Tattoo/Hoodie)

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