Beemok Hospitality Collection (BHC) was founded by Ben Navarro, a businessman and philanthropist, with the sole purpose of creating meaningful ways for people to connect and share extraordinary experiences. With a focus on generational ownership and longstanding partnerships, BHC is committed to building a portfolio of interconnected hospitality, entertainment and wellness experiences that stimulate the senses and enrich the lives of others. The collection originated in 2021 with the acquisition of its flagship property, The Charleston Place, in the heart of downtown Charleston, SC.
I joined the team as in-house Art Director shortly after the collection originated to create a brand identity that reflects the owner’s purpose and vision as well as a sense of place, tying the brand to its Charleston community. We pulled visual ques from historical landmark signage scattered throughout downtown Charleston, through the traditional typeface of the BHC monogram. We also explored the theme of legacy and how that could be represented through visuals of long-standing oak trees in the local area and how we will expand our growth in the years to come. From there, we developed the leaves in the crest, that are also reminiscent of finial details of local wrought iron fences, which represent the six Navarro family members.
To represent the balance between our traditional values but forward-thinking strategies, we wanted to make sure the identity reflected both modern and traditional aesthetics. We paired the traditional serif type and crest composition with a more modern monoline illustration style. Hand illustrated elements of local Charleston foliage are also used thoughtfully throughout the brand materials to represent the local roots being spread throughout our collection of assets.
The color palette was informed by a luxurious combination of asset imagery and local landscapes. A deep heritage emerald, luxe gold and traditional ivory lead the primary palette throughout our digital and print collateral.