Casai: a design ideology from 1 to 40 units
How to create a design system that provides strategic value for our business, units, and guests?
As Head of Design of an hospitality and prop-tech startup company, the first challenge I had was to create a strategy to implement a strong and consistent design concept across the portfolio, considering the uniqueness of the properties. Creating an efficient and replicable design ideology, with an efficient implementation process, was the top priority during the initial phase of the company. It needed to be aligned with the different goals and business needs to succeed when time was a key factor in the equation.
Working in a hyper-growth hospitality firm in LATAM, with big plans to expand across the region, it was important to ensure a valuable, strong and unique design aesthetic as part of the differentiators of the brand.
How do we balance a consistent brand aesthetic when each location and property is different?
Understanding the business and design needs
Budget
Growth
Scalability
Timing
Consistency
Profitability
Tech
Style consistency
Unique
Sophisticated
Local
Scalable
Experience
Durability
Low maintenance
Adaptability
Working along and enhancing the unique reality of the properties: unrepeated layouts, emblematic architectural styles, iconic locations, and different styles.
Phase 1:
Phase 2:
Sample of my case study prior to my work at Casai.
Creating a process that can grow with the company; keeping a strong design concept between the units and optimizing time and budget. A design system that is consistent, replicable and flexible which brings strategic value for the business, the units and the guests.
Develop internal projects to support a fast and consistent implementation of the design system.
Adding some extra ideas to tie de process and strengthen the brand.
Casai corner: create an iconic and special space in each apartment to acknowledge their diversity, share local references, and promote instagrammable spots for marketing purposes.
Phase 3:
Phase 4:
Phase 5:
Standards: define the why and how behind the design of Casai. globally standardize the why and how of Casai’s design that can help to maintain a premium user experience by building a sense of home.
Casai’s Look & Feel: defining a global brand book and guidelines for interior design.
A.
Common Book: create an internal catalog of FF&E items that fit the Look & Feel of the brand and are aligned with the needs of the company..
B.
C.
This proposal was developed within the next months of the company and while getting learnings and feedback from Casai’s guests.
Here are some examples of the first units we implemented.
