Engineered to perfection
Bistro Saine
Services
Branded Content,
Brand Identity,
Branded Uniforms,
Branded Collateral,
Logo Design
THE BRIEF
When Auckland’s Hotel Indigo began developing a premium dining offering, two things were immediately clear.
First, the establishment needed to feel like a destination in its own right - with a spirit and experience entirely distinct to the hotel itself. The second was to draw inspiration from the classic bistro experience, while giving it a contemporary twist that felt right at home in this burgeoning corner of Auckland.
Decades of storytelling, cuisine and atmosphere from the likes of New York City, Paris and London would set the scene however the most defining inspiration was already embedded in the site itself. Bistro Saine would live inside one of the city’s earliest motorhouses - a heritage industrial space layered with grit, craft and history.
These foundations revealed a defining idea for the Bistro Saine brand- duality.
Old world character paired with contemporary confidence, engineered precision balanced by understated opulence. Provenance felt not only on the plate, but embedded in the walls around it.
With a progressive menu and fresh perspective reframing bistro classics, it was time to shape a brand that struck a perfect balance. One that drew people in with the allure of a timeless experience, while adding an extra twist to keep them coming back for seconds. Or thirds, if you’ve got the time and the space.
First, the establishment needed to feel like a destination in its own right - with a spirit and experience entirely distinct to the hotel itself. The second was to draw inspiration from the classic bistro experience, while giving it a contemporary twist that felt right at home in this burgeoning corner of Auckland.
Decades of storytelling, cuisine and atmosphere from the likes of New York City, Paris and London would set the scene however the most defining inspiration was already embedded in the site itself. Bistro Saine would live inside one of the city’s earliest motorhouses - a heritage industrial space layered with grit, craft and history.
These foundations revealed a defining idea for the Bistro Saine brand- duality.
Old world character paired with contemporary confidence, engineered precision balanced by understated opulence. Provenance felt not only on the plate, but embedded in the walls around it.
With a progressive menu and fresh perspective reframing bistro classics, it was time to shape a brand that struck a perfect balance. One that drew people in with the allure of a timeless experience, while adding an extra twist to keep them coming back for seconds. Or thirds, if you’ve got the time and the space.
When Auckland’s Hotel Indigo began developing a premium dining offering, two things were immediately clear.
First, the establishment needed to feel like a destination in its own right - with a spirit and experience entirely distinct to the hotel itself. The second was to draw inspiration from the classic bistro experience, while giving it a contemporary twist that felt right at home in this burgeoning corner of Auckland.
First, the establishment needed to feel like a destination in its own right - with a spirit and experience entirely distinct to the hotel itself. The second was to draw inspiration from the classic bistro experience, while giving it a contemporary twist that felt right at home in this burgeoning corner of Auckland.
Heritage, redefined.
From the very beginning, it was our aim to make the establishment, even in its earliest days, feel lived in – alive with stories and experiences from the past, but never performative or unearned.
A brand that celebrated the shift from industrial to exceptional – and the space in-between.
Where authentic warmth and character met a structured sense of purpose and progress. Where stories of what’s made are inseparable from the people who make them. Where craftsmanship existed long before anything arrived at the table.
As Bistro Saine began engineering an experience that felt confident and considered-understated yet inviting - we found the precise balance between timeless and contemporary.
And delivered an identity to match.
A brand that celebrated the shift from industrial to exceptional – and the space in-between.
Where authentic warmth and character met a structured sense of purpose and progress. Where stories of what’s made are inseparable from the people who make them. Where craftsmanship existed long before anything arrived at the table.
As Bistro Saine began engineering an experience that felt confident and considered-understated yet inviting - we found the precise balance between timeless and contemporary.
And delivered an identity to match.
Services
Branded Content,
Brand Identity,
Branded Uniforms,
Branded Collateral,
Logo Design
A brand sparked from the tension between old and new. Where timeless and contemporary, warm and structured, industrial and exceptional are all precisely balanced, for the better.
Reflecting the space’s dual character, a fluid script logotype is grounded by a functional mono grid system.
Relevant Projects
Houston Group acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. Our studio sits on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin, and we pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
Check out our reconciliation action plan