Brilliant Living in Boston's South End

Libretto conducted extensive research into the competitive marketplace of the city—which has seen an incredible influx of high-end residential buildings in recent years—in order to establish data-driven resident profiles for the property. In partnership with Stoltze Design, we sought to establish a unique voice and visual identity for the property that would cut through the clutter and speak directly to our target audience.

We collaborated with the building’s development and management teams, New Atlantic and Bozzuto respectively, to craft a series of name candidates and associated visual identities that connected with the property in a variety of dimensions – from references to the historical significance of the area to names that invoked the architectural design of the building. Next, we performed focus group testing to evaluate the short list of candidates, and then worked with the developer to sell the final choice through to their primary financial partner. The name and identity that was selected, Girard, references the mid-century modern designer of the same name. In the context of our project, it fittingly reflects the building’s extensive artistic program, the influence of mid-century modern aesthetics on the architecture and finish, and the sensibilities of the project’s key stakeholders and audience.

We then created a high-level set of messaging points that served as the foundation for external print and digital communications, including the website design and content, print collateral, signage, e-blasts, and a brand manual.

Approximately a year after the building’s grand opening, New Atlantic succeeded in their original mission by successfully selling the property to the management firm Equity Residential ahead of schedule. While many of the digital assets Libretto developed were retired at the time of sale, our creative efforts can still be seen in the print materials, environmental signage, and baked into the building’s design. And we are thrilled to see a Libretto name writ large across the facade every time we walk down Harrison Avenue.