Medialuna is a Chilean-inspired restaurant and is the product of a project created in one of three of our graphic communications courses called ‘Culture Shock.’ This project’s objective was to design a menu and packaging for a restaurant based on a specific country in order to better understand the difference between appropriation and appreciation. The restaurant would be based in America and would need to be able to be understood by an American audience, while also paying homage to the culture of the country it was inspired by.
Chile was my country of choice and I was especially inspired by a specific part of the country’s rich culture, the Chilean rodeo. I opted to use colors and textures that were warm and rough to tie in the nature of the event, while also being heavily influenced by the traditional hand-painted signs of Chilean street markets and shops for my typography. The name ‘Medialuna’ was chosen as it refers to the half-moon, or crescent-shaped, corral used for rodeos, the official sport in Chile. I also incorporated images of Chilean cowboys, known as huasos, within my branding to further incorporate my inspiration and add another layer of authenticity to the restaurant’s branding. I contrasted words from the nation’s official language, Spanish, with the English translations of the word within my brand patterns and on my menu to help educate and inform my audience. Packaging was created specifically to highlight the empanada, an iconic part of traditional Chilean cuisine.
MEDIALUNA
Gold ADDY Award 2024 1st place in Packaging at USM Art & Design Annual Juried Student Show
