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Korn Joins Gensler

A brand new story to tell . . .

We have some exciting news to share with all of you: We have joined Gensler to lead the Lifestyle Brand Studio in Gensler’s Boston office.

We bring with us Korn Design’s incredible team of dynamic, passionate designers and brand strategists. Together we will continue, with dedication, to serve and collaborate with you, our highly-valued clients and colleagues.

We started Korn Design more than 25 years ago, devoted to our team, our clients and a bold authentic approach to building fearless brands that catalyze change through human-centered design. We are proud of what we have accomplished, inspired by the creative territories we have explored and most importantly very grateful for your trust and the opportunity to create such incredible work with all of you.

Moving forward, you can count on the same personal attention and working relationships that you’ve had with us and our team over the years, now with the added benefit of Gensler’s incredible global platform behind us. We will continue to work to ensure your needs are met and expectations exceeded, what you’ve always come to expect from us.

As you might imagine, a decision of this magnitude was not made lightly. We have had a long history of collaboration and friendship with Gensler over the years. Through the lens of this exciting new possibility we began to see many synergies that run deep between us making this integration all the better.

In getting to know Gensler both as an organization and as individuals, first and foremost we share a culture that puts people first, places a premium on client service, focuses on building meaningful relationships, serving community and is driven by innovation not ego.

Each of its 46 offices are made up of smaller, distinctive “studios” with deep expertise in a variety of focused practice areas that connect across the firm, sharing knowledge and resources while maintaining a more intimate way to serve clients and an appropriate scale for each project team to foster true collaboration. In meeting global Gensler leadership, we grew a much deeper appreciation for their dedication, to create positive enduring change through thoughtful design, social innovation and civic engagement.

Gensler’s global reach and multi-disciplinary platform will allow us to take our unique approach to developing meaningful brands and experiences into new corners of the world, to serve our clients more holistically, and to continue to collaborate with all of you, our long-term creative partners and colleagues, in new ways.

As of today, you can find us in Gensler’s Boston office at One Beacon Street.

We look forward to many more years of charting into new territories with you and making the world more beautiful while we’re at it!

All and only the best,

Denise Korn, Creative Director        Javier Cortés, Studio Director

 

About Gensler

Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 46 locations and more than 5,500 professionals networked across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and the Americas. Founded in 1965, the firm serves more than 3,500 active clients in virtually every industry. Gensler designers strive to make the places people live, work, and play more inspiring, more resilient, and more impactful. For more information, visit www.gensler.com.

Youth Design

A Personal Note from Denise

Just over 15 years ago, I founded Youth Design with a mission to provide urban creative youth in Boston with awareness, exposure and training opportunities in design, enabling them to envision and pursue a career pathway that would feed their passion for creativity.

We have witnessed the magic that happens when young people – working with hundreds of Youth Designers who have benefited from our “platform for change” and world-class programming – discover the possibilities and realize their limitless potential to pursue a professional creative life in the field of design and beyond!

With tremendous gratitude, a heavy heart, and sincere pride, I want to share with you that we made the bittersweet decision to sunset the Youth Design organization at the end of 2017. This has been quite a journey.

We are proud of the strides we have made, collectively, in bringing awareness to the need for greater diversity in design and the impact we’ve had in supporting 700+ Youth Designers find achievable pathways to careers in design. This was no small feat.

We have made a difference together and I hope that the Youth Design mission and legacy will continue to thrive in your heart and under your leadership . . . as there is still much work to be done.

For all of this – I and all of the Youth Designers thank you.

To all the KORNStars

We couldn’t have done it without you!

A Unique Partnership

Yin + Yang at Korn = Denise + Javier

It goes without saying that we have seen it all!

Partners for so long in this creative journey, together we have forged countless meaningful relationships, many now decades-long, with our beloved KORNStars, clients, colleagues and the amazing people we collaborate with.

Yin and Yang at Korn = Denise + Javier, we are grateful for our partnership and lucky to love what we do every day and love who we get to do it with!

2015 – The Logan

The Philadelphia Experience Comes Home to Host

We love an unusual challenge, and Host Hotels & Resorts’ project in Center City Philadelphia came with just that: a plan to convert the city’s beloved Four Seasons to their first independent property. Our research led us to understand that while Philadelphia has long been magnetic for its historic charisma and brotherly charm, its finely-nuanced urban texture is what draws and retains people daily. Meaning, it would not be enough to just open a great new hotel, this would need to be an authentic Philadelphia experience – of, by, and for the people of Philadelphia.

Korn captured that prized Philly spirit in every aspect of our work, starting with a name that conveyed the hotel’s noble character: the property’s namesake is James Logan, a famed Philadelphia statesman. Working in parallel with the talented and passionate Andrea Dawson of Dawson Design Associates, Korn’s commanding positioning as “Philadelphia’s Hotel,” invited an experience that was a lively mix of tradition and modernity. The Logan came forward to artfully embody the independent spirit of Philadelphia in a holistic brand ecosystem that blends classic and historic elements with modern influences, as sophisticated and stylish as Philadelphia itself.

Among the hotel’s most notable touches is a robust attention to art, spurred by the inspired art-loving management team and project partner, Sage Hospitality. Having worked with Sage on multiple projects over the years, we knew that like us, they knew the right dramaturgy would require thoughtful art selections that told the story behind the space. Enter Allison Barry of Kevin Barry Fine Art, and a masterful program befitting the Logan’s rich brand backstory.

Completed in 2016, and completely kicking it in 2018, the Logan is a success story we never get tired of sharing.

View Project >

We have been excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the past six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our new and upcoming projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn!

2018 – Civic Hotel

Civic Rising: A City-Centre-d Hotel Ascends

Though proximate to Vancouver, Surrey BC is far from a suburb. Rather, it’s a vibrant connected crossroads of business and culture – and well on its way to becoming British Columbia’s next great city. Rising in a central site fronting the new Civic Plaza, the Civic Hotel set its sights on anchoring and defining this ascending downtown core with a visionary welcoming social and business hub. So with a SkyTrain pass in hand and vibrant planned urban center before us, we set out to capture the abundant opportunity present here in a brand that confidently leaned in.

Struck by its imposing presence – rising 24 stories with expansive sight lines directly onto an interconnected series of public plazas – Korn issued a bold invitation with the brand, showcasing the modern connectivity of the place, while holding true to its rich British Columbia roots. With its very public profile and energetic ethos, Korn dialed into the hotel as the social hub of this walkable community, favoring a commanding logo, pops of color, and key touchpoints to signal its vibrant central role.

With deep roots in the neighborhood, and a commitment to community design, client Century Group rallied behind the brand injecting local spirited local flavor into everything from F+B to art installations. In so doing, they not only built Surrey’s first world-class boutique hotel, they also created with Korn, a truly stunning brand that underscores the value of its new City Centre.

View Project >

We have been excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the past six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our new and upcoming projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn!

2017/2018 – The Estate Yountville

A Modern Napa Valley Story, Told in Two Parts

We are eager and excited to watch the final chapters of this completely reimagined luxe independent property unfold with the Hotel Villagio officially re-opening early this summer to join its stylish sister Vintage House which we unveiled this past fall. Korn helped to strategically re-connect this magnificent 22-acre property, introducing a bold new brand, recasting it to a modern lifestyle destination and grownup playground for the senses.

When long-time client and our friends at Brookfield Property Group tapped Korn Design to join this world-class project team, we seized the opportunity to re-awaken and re-introduce a modern interconnected retreat that would set a precedent, and the bar, in the Napa Valley. Korn Design’s brand experience and narrative rings throughout as a true coming-together of placemaking and hospitality – an integral part of this site-sensitive, multi-million-dollar renovation and is completely in sync with the overall design and vision of architects SB Architects, and the wonderful interior design team at Hirsch Bedner Associates. The fabulous MAGRINO leading the public relations front and BCV driving the social media platforms rounded out a great collaboration.

Celebrating that heady mix of sophistication and sensuality that exists in Napa – we created a brand with two alluring personalities that plays out within the two on-property luxury hotels. The serene and stylish Vintage House’s warm elegance and understatement wafts through, while the sinfully good and very social sister hotel, Hotel Villagio, beats to a zesty modern vibe. Tying the two together, and the whole collective, was a worldly POV, that we riffed on with the help of our fave fashion illustrator Manuel Santelices to infuse The Estate’s brand identity with an artful, cheeky side, arriving in a place that is fresh and style-inspired, just like the destination it reflects.

View Project >

We have been excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the past six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our new and upcoming projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn!

CELEBRATING A 1/4 CENTURY OF GREAT DESIGN!

HERE’S CHEERS TO CONTINUED DIVERSITY IN DESIGN IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY

When we cracked open the concept of 25 Years of Korn there was a lot to share and quite a diverse mix. We culminate our Korn@25 campaign here with the last three of these 25 pivotal projects. These represent the eclectic nature of our body of work over the course of a quarter century. From Napa Valley to downtown Philly, to a towering shiny new icon in Vancouver, we are grateful to celebrate and thank all of the amazing KORNStars and partners whom have injected their distinct talents, ideas and view on the world with us and through our work. We are grateful to all of you as our extended family and look forward to continuing to create, invent, adventure and stand for what matters in the years ahead.

2017/2018 – The Estate Yountville
We are eager and excited to watch the final chapters of this completely reimagined luxe independent property unfold with the Hotel Villagio officially re-opening early this summer to join its stylish sister Vintage House which we unveiled this past fall. Korn helped to strategically re-connect this magnificent 22-acre property, introducing a bold new brand, recasting it to a modern lifestyle destination and grownup playground for the senses. View Project >

2018 – Civic Hotel
Though proximate to Vancouver, Surrey BC is far from a suburb. Rather, it’s a vibrant connected crossroads of business and culture – and well on its way to becoming British Columbia’s next great city. The Civic Hotel rises up and sets its sights on anchoring and defining this ascending downtown core with a visionary welcoming social and business hub fronting the new Civic Plaza, t. So with a SkyTrain pass in hand and vibrant planned urban center before us, Korn set out to capture the abundant opportunity present here in a brand that confidently leaned in. View Project >

2015 – The Logan
We love an unusual challenge, and this Host Hotels & Resorts’ project in Center City Philadelphia came with just that: a plan to convert the city’s beloved Four Seasons to their first independent property. Our research led us to understand that while Philadelphia has long been magnetic for its historic charisma and brotherly charm, its finely-nuanced urban texture is what draws and retains people daily. Meaning, it would not be enough to just open a great new hotel, this would need to be an authentic Philadelphia experience – of, by, and for the people of Philadelphia. View Project >

A Unique Partnership

YIN + YANG AT KORN = DENISE + JAVIER

It goes without saying that we have seen it all!

Partners for so long in this creative journey, together we have forged countless meaningful relationships, many now decades-long, with our beloved KORNStars, clients, colleagues and the amazing people we collaborate with.

Yin and Yang at Korn = Denise + Javier, we are grateful for our partnership and lucky to love what we do every day and love who we get to do it with!

Read More >

To all the KORNStars

WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!

Read More >

Youth Design

A PERSONAL NOTE FROM DENISE

Just over 15 years ago, I founded Youth Design with a mission to provide urban creative youth in Boston with awareness, exposure and training opportunities in design, enabling them to envision and pursue a career pathway that would feed their passion for creativity.

We have witnessed the magic that happens when young people – working with hundreds of Youth Designers who have benefited from our “platform for change” and world-class programming – discover the possibilities and realize their limitless potential to pursue a professional creative life in the field of design and beyond!

With tremendous gratitude, a heavy heart, and sincere pride, I want to share with you that we made the bittersweet decision to sunset the Youth Design organization at the end of 2017.

This has been quite a journey.

We are proud of the strides we have made, collectively, in bringing awareness to the need for greater diversity in design and the impact we’ve had in supporting 700+ Youth Designers find achievable pathways to careers in design. This was no small feat.

We have made a difference together and I hope that the Youth Design mission and legacy will continue to thrive in your heart and under your leadership . . . as there is still much work to be done.

For all of this – I and all of the Youth Designers thank you.

 

We have been excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the past six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our new and upcoming projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn!

2015 – THE ENVOY HOTEL

This Way Forward

The ENVOY opened in 2015 as one of the first new developments in the now thriving Seaport. As an “envoy” or emissary of the creative and cutting-edge “innovation district,” The Envoy stands as a beacon for locals and travelers alike who are seeking what’s next. Drawing from the intriguingly intimate scale and siting – with tremendous views towards Boston’s skyline, the harbor and waterways – the brand evolved to embrace this optimistic new place and signal change, bringing a fresh point of view to evolving Boston. With its killer rooftop perch and location – from the get-go, The ENVOY earned its spot in every season.

Korn Design, working closely with client/ownership, Norwich Partners, and Group One Partners architects / interior design team, led the evolution of this property, pioneering an immersive brand experience true to the Envoy’s abiding watchwords, “This Way Forward.” Serving as both a rally cry for the creative community it hosts and the inspiring neighborhood it calls home, the Envoy embodied the trailblazing spirit of Boston’s newly coined “Innovation District.”

Optimistic and pioneering, the brand experience and the interiors design are in sync – speaking to materiality, simplicity and a play between the gritty, industrial texture of the active seaport and the shining glass, steel and polished surfaces of the building itself.

It’s apparent we had some fun with the brand identity: it’s purposely confident yet quirky – intentionally playful and handcrafted – and utilizes basic shapes as letterforms that nimbly twist and turn like innovative leaders in today’s world. Tipping its hat to technology, it’s inspired by both art and code and delivers multiple meanings. The warm yellow accent, distinct to The Envoy Hotel brand palette, dances throughout the environment, signage, guest rooms and amenities as a happy and positive pop that echoes the upbeat nature of the property, what it stands for, and who it serves.

Messaging is embedded in both grand and intimate scale into architectural elements, so that it may speak to visitors as they inhabit the hotel’s spaces: “This Way Forward” greets all who cross the hotel’s threshold, while “On The Way to Everywhere” is boldly carved into the lobby’s marble-clad walls. Floor-to-ceiling photographic seascape horizons provide the scene as guests travel upward in the elevators, cuing the constant ebb and flow of this place and its outward viewpoint.

In-room, the brand sings through sculptural objects such as the custom-designed TV bike stands and riveted luggage stools that carry messaging to marry form and function – in a room designed with the efficiency of a fabulous sailboat. The effect is much like being front-and-center on the bow with views that state this is the heart of the action, set on the glorious Boston harbor. The journey is made perfectly comfortable with accessories like thick fleece-lined sweatshirt-hooded robes, and a selection of local spirits, snacks and bath amenities from Boston-born Fresh.

The Envoy Hotel is wholly original. A gathering place for kindred spirits – and perfect for those who live out loud wherever it is they go . . . a gleaming light on the Boston horizon.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2012 – The Base

Success Lives Here

Loves runs deep when we talk about our work with Robert Lewis Jr. and The Base. It was just five years ago that The Base was launched in Roxbury with a mantra of “changing minds, lives and the status quo.” Born of the legacy of the Boston Astros baseball program that Robert began in Boston’s Villa Victoria public housing community in the 1970’s, ours was a small role in the dynamic vision of bringing The Base to life. Our primary hope: that we could craft a brand to do justice to The Base culture and deep spirit – most importantly create something these young people would be proud to wear to represent The Base, both on and off the field, serving, here in Boston and beyond. So we started there – asking the kids for their insights on what The Base means to them – and took it from there.. Success does live within each of us – this big takeaway proved that there was no one better to establish our strategic brief than the young people The Base empowers and serves.

In many ways, The Base is an evolution: of a baseball team, of a community, of a legendary mentor, and of the way we think about urban youth outreach in Boston and beyond. The Base is the new home of Robert Lewis Jr.’s Boston Astros, and a premier national urban youth training academy, which combines sports and academic opportunities to enable kids to develop athletically, academically, and altruistically.

Korn Design developed The Base’s visual identity with a passion to create a brand that would resonate with urban youth and mindfully represent a center of belief, hope, and love. We drew inspiration from a variety of youth cultures, especially in the immediate boldness of music, sports, and lifestyle brands. Then we got dirty and executed the mark with a language that reflects both the grittiness of the sport and the “grit” it takes to persevere and be great no matter what.

Robert Lewis chose to have a special “unveiling” of the new brand to the players at the field. On a glorious spring day, The Base brand was debuted, with the young people moved to see first-hand how their imprint was all over the outcome. Now celebrating its 5th anniversary, Korn is beyond proud of The Base, its amazing young people, and its leadership where it matters.

The Base’s Mission: The Base operates a premier national urban youth academy that combines sports and academic opportunities through a methodology that cultivates excellence, belief and love. We make the invisible, visible and shine a spotlight on the limitless potential of our young people. Learn more: thebase.org

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2016 – PRUDENTIAL CENTER BACK BAY

Comeback in the Back Bay

In 2016, owner and developer Boston Properties asked Korn Design to refresh the Prudential’s visual identity system, in concert with the opening of a new building at 888 Boylston Street and an ambitious re-imagining of its retail and restaurant offerings. Fueled by the boundless energy of maverick EVP, Bryan Koop, his fantastic Marketing Director, Laura Marchisi Sesody, and their amazing team, we were determined to bring a meaningful underpinning to the new PRU brand identity that would both proudly represent this fully reimagined place in the heart of the Back Bay and celebrate it as a lifestyle destination and landmark.

An iconic part of the Boston skyline for over half a century – and a vibrant business, retail and dining hub in the heart of historic Back Bay, The Prudential Center project demanded an identity as impressive as the place itself. Drawing inspiration from the convergence of architectural patterns, shapes of the façade, and the changing shadows and shapes created by light shifting throughout the day, Korn designed a bold new logotype that visualizes this Boston icon through the angular cropping of custom-designed letterforms, hand-drawn by KORNStar and incredible typographer, Maggie Putnam.

Korn was also asked to conceptualize a method of launching the new brand as the complex underwent construction, to indicate that something exciting was evolving. In answer, we created a series of interchangeable patterns, inspired by signature architectural details of The Prudential Center, as well as architecture, fashion, and the movement of people within the physical space, which were translated at different scales as a series of overlapping panels and applied in dynamic and varied compositions as the construction progressed.

Still powerfully in play, the new visual identity captures the energy and excitement of the Prudential Center Back Bay as it evolves into its next century of influence. It is a perfect reflection of this new shining and dynamic place in the heart – and hearts – of Boston.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2013 – The Fenway Neighborhood

Now There Truly is “Never An Off Season”

Today, we can all agree that the Fenway neighborhood is a hot and exciting place to be anytime of day. In 2013, on the cusp of this massive development flow, Korn Design teamed up with real-estate developer and fearless creative Steve Samuels and his team at Samuels & Associates on one of the most “off-the-hook” placemaking assignments we could have imagined: to help to bring The Fenway to the forefront of people’s minds as a distinctive neighborhood when they are thinking about where to live, locate their office or simply relax. Our strategy– bring to light the tried and true vibrancy and eccentric character of this neighborhood and its residents to let the neighborhood speak for itself. Bordered on one side by Kenmore Square and The Charles River and on the other by the Fens and The Emerald Necklace, and powered by cutting edge music, entertainment, a kick-ass culinary scene, green spaces and fun, this is The Fenway that lived under the radar for decades. A neighborhood that will always be proud to call Fenway Park and The Red Sox neighbors, but not the only thing that defines it. Korn’s unconventional approach kicked into high gear with a guerilla messaging campaign, an aggregator website to give all the amazing residents a voice, and killer leading-edge partners in Isenberg Projects and Best Dressed Signs. The rest is history . . .

Our solution was a combination of zesty poster-wheat-pasting of the neighborhood with messaging around the Who, What and Where things are already happening, with “There’s Never An Off-Season” leading the charge. (Although completely environmentally-friendly, city officials’ didn’t like this component too much) The most recognizable and enduring component, the Fenway identity, was executed as a singular, connected mark, visually translating the many relationships throughout the area. The mark riffs on neon sign language to reference the around-the-clock nature of everything the neighborhood has to offer. The brand’s visual dimension and messaging wrapped everything from pedi-cabs to construction barricades and had a lively presence online with a vibrant social media strategy brought to life by our friend and creative partner, Isenberg Projects.

We expanded the typographic palette further when partnering with Best Dressed Signs to create a mural incorporating the phrase “There’s Never an Off Season.” Using the color palette in the identity, they interpreted the letters dimensionally to wrap the message in repeat around the building, which has since been razed to allow for the Samuels & Associates luxury residential project, The Point Boston.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2019 – Four Seasons Private Residences One Dalton Street, Boston

A Stunning Testament to This Great City

From nearly any vantage point, from miles away in all directions, you can spot the new Four Seasons Private Residences One Dalton Street, Boston ascending into the Boston skyline. It was a simple, yet brilliant, idea to colorfully light up the crane that we would all see throughout the duration of this significant construction – and shine a spotlight on the new Boston rising. For nearly 21 years we have been working closely – and trying to keep in step with – the visionary behind One Dalton, President and CEO Richard Friedman of Carpenter & Company, whose dynamic point of view and unique approach to all of his company’s developments makes for a great match with Korn’s dedication to fearlessly craft smart brand experiences that make a mark on the world stage.

This glorious architectural landmark, designed by the famed Harry Cobb of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, in collaboration with Cambridge Seven Associates, will be the tallest residential tower in New England – defining the western end of Boston’s high spine. Working with Dick is always a “hands-on” experience, fueled with creativity and attention to detail. In the case of One Dalton, his personal connection and commitment to Boston, love of the city, and sincere loyalty to his friends and colleagues here and across the globe, ignited his passion to create something very special here. Overlooking and respectfully embracing its exceptional location in the Back Bay, the One Dalton brand and its story are elegant and graceful, yet powerful like the architecture itself – conveying throughout: there is only one, ONE DALTON.

Korn Design has a long history with Carpenter & Company, Cambridge Seven Associates and Campion & Company, and was engaged to work closely with this dynamic development and sales team to establish the communications strategy and create a vibrant suite of materials and touchpoints that bring the story of this magnificent project to life. We art-directed and collaborated with the talented team at 5SE to produce a property video that rings true with the project’s respectful and confident personality, narrated by no other than Dick Friedman himself, sharing this exceptional and unprecedented opportunity to live in these unique Private Residences, in Four Season’s style, and with the ultimate Four Seasons culture, service and amenities.

Boston has been waiting for this address to arrive.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

RENAISSANCE IN “THE HUB”

BOSTON RISES WITH VIBRANCY, GRACE + HEART

Community sits at the core of all that we do, and have done, for over two decades. In this Issue #5 we focus our memories on our own backyard. Korn Design is proud to continue to champion the creative economy in our home town. We have been honored to work with extraordinary, incredibly smart, visionary, and bold leaders, clients, activists, artists, volunteers, teachers and young talent here in our community – together, celebrating the city we love.

2019 – Four Seasons Private Residences One Dalton Street, Boston: A Stunning Testament to This Great City
From nearly any vantage point, from miles away in all directions, you can spot the new Four Seasons Private Residences One Dalton Street, Boston ascending into the Boston skyline. It was a simple, yet brilliant, idea to colorfully light up the crane that we would all see throughout the duration of this significant construction – and shine a spotlight on the new Boston rising. For nearly 21 years we have been working closely – and trying to keep in step with – the visionary behind One Dalton, President and CEO Richard Friedman of Carpenter & Company, whose dynamic point of view and unique approach to all of his company’s developments makes for a great match with Korn’s dedication to fearlessly craft smart brand experiences that make a mark on the world stage. View Project >

2013 – The FENWAY Neighborhood: Now There Truly is “Never An Off Season”
Today, we can all agree that the Fenway neighborhood is a hot and exciting place to be anytime of day. In 2013, on the cusp of this massive development flow, Korn Design teamed up with real-estate developer and fearless creative Steve Samuels and his team at Samuels & Associates on one of the most “off-the-hook” placemaking assignments we could have imagined: to help to bring The Fenway to the forefront of people’s minds as a distinctive neighborhood when they are thinking about where to live, locate their office or simply relax. Our strategy– bring to light the tried and true vibrancy and eccentric character of this neighborhood and its residents to let the neighborhood speak for itself. Bordered on one side by Kenmore Square and The Charles River and on the other by the Fens and The Emerald Necklace, and powered by cutting edge music, entertainment, a kick-ass culinary scene, green spaces and fun, this is The Fenway that lived under the radar for decades. A neighborhood that will always be proud to call Fenway Park and The Red Sox neighbors, but not the only thing that defines it. Korn’s unconventional approach kicked into high gear with a guerilla messaging campaign, an aggregator website to give all the amazing residents a voice, and killer leading-edge partners in Isenberg Projects and Best Dressed Signs. The rest is history . . . View Project >

2016 – Prudential Center Back Bay: Comeback in the Back Bay
In 2016, owner and developer Boston Properties asked Korn Design to refresh the Prudential’s visual identity system, in concert with the opening of a new building at 888 Boylston Street and an ambitious re-imagining of its retail and restaurant offerings. Fueled by the boundless energy of maverick EVP, Bryan Koop, his fantastic Marketing Director, Laura Marchisi Sesody, and their amazing team, we were determined to bring a meaningful underpinning to the new PRU brand identity that would both proudly represent this fully reimagined place in the heart of the Back Bay and celebrate it as a lifestyle destination and landmark.
View Project >

2012 – The BASE: Hitting it Out of the Park
Love runs deep when we talk about our work with Robert Lewis Jr. and The Base. It was just five years ago that The Base was launched in Roxbury with a mantra of “changing minds, lives and the status quo.” Born of the legacy of the Boston Astros baseball program that Robert began in Boston’s Villa Victoria public housing community in the 1970’s, ours was a small role in the dynamic vision of bringing The Base to life. Our primary hope: that we could craft a brand to do justice to The Base culture and deep spirit – most importantly create something these young people would be proud to wear to represent The Base, both on and off the field, serving, here in Boston and beyond. So we started there – asking the kids for their insights on what The Base means to them – and took it from there. Success does live within each of us – this big takeaway proved that there was no one better to establish our strategic brief than the young people The Base empowers and serves. View Project >

2015 – ENVOY Hotel: This Way Forward
The ENVOY opened in 2015 as one of the first new developments in the now thriving Seaport. As an “envoy” or emissary of the creative and cutting-edge “innovation district,” The Envoy stands as a beacon for locals and travelers alike who are seeking what’s next. Drawing from the intriguingly intimate scale and siting – with tremendous views towards Boston’s skyline, the harbor and waterways – the brand evolved to embrace this optimistic new place and signal change, bringing a fresh point of view to evolving Boston. With its killer rooftop perch and location – from the get-go, The ENVOY earned its spot in every season.
View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2016 – The MAYFLOWER

The Grande Dame Smiles Again

Tapping into the rich vein of its storied past and celebrating its proud heritage as an iconic historic destination, Korn recast The Mayflower as a vibrant and elegant social hub — restating its distinction as the capital city’s foremost host. The heart of this rebrand was less new invention and more a hale and hearty respect for the original identity and story of The Mayflower – a restoration of its soul, breathing life back into the always-destined-to-be independent lady.

We commissioned type designer, Maggie Putnum, and former KORNStar, to redraw the original logotype and return the typography to its former grandeur. Using original signage and historic captures of the initial type treatment for reference, care was taken with each curve and accent, resulting in a new logotype that rests at a fresh upward angle, locked up with the EST. 1925 tagline.

Through a plethora of activation strategies designed to bring the new brand to life, The Mayflower experience continues to unfold as only a true, “Washington DC Original” can.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2013 – Castle Hill Inn

“Grace’s” Favorite Point

Dramatic is an understatement when referencing this 40-acre estate/Relais and Chateaux destination, overlooking the Naragansett Bay in Newport, RI. A favorite escape spot for Grace Kelley, the property evokes a timeless chic and relaxed elegance that is quintessential New England and Newport. It was time for a refresh to restore their brand identity to embody the history, soul and elegance of the property, capture its authentic Newport vibe and reflect its timeless appeal to both loyals and a new generation of guests seeking a contemporary luxury experience.

The new identity revitalized the property’s spirit with classic, bold typography and a fresh, rich color palette inspired by its nautical roots and stunning coastal setting. Bringing the property a bit closer in touch with its emerging younger guest profile and growing interest from locals to spend time here, Korn worked with ownership to rethink the overall look + feel to communicate a fresh attitude and allure. Introducing new programming that welcomes in the public alongside haute cuisine and high tea offerings in the Castle Hill Restaurant, the very best view, an intimate spa experience, and so much to do right on property, it is captivating.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2018 – Hotel Saranac

An Adirondack Love Affair

With family ties to the region dating back almost 100 years, our client, The Roedel Companies recognized the importance of this this legendary grand hotel. Alongside them, Korn Design worked to shepherd the return of an icon, preserving the glorious historic grandeur while creating a luxurious destination for “explorers.”

Working together with a stellar team of architects, designers, historians, and residents, our goal was to translate the vivid memories of Hotel Saranac as the local heartbeat, unleashing a brand that celebrated the hotel as a community pillar and town host. This required reframing this storied place in a modern way so it could reassume its role as the epicenter of the magical Adirondacks town of Saranac Lake. Drawing inspiration from both classic influences and inspired Adirondack references we crafted a logo that feels both fresh and reverent, a timeless mark.

From here, we homed in on adventure as part of the hotel’s magnetic appeal: the art of exploring is defined here in all its many forms, beyond just the obvious natural environs – creative dining, artful drinking, cultural dives, social mingling, outer explorations, inner reflections – a base-camp for wherever the journey leads. We set a motto for the rebranding – “Explorers Welcome” – which mimics and elevates everything that the Adirondack experience is about.

The Korn adventure in bringing Hotel Saranac to life spanned over three years and included multiple excursions, in all four seasons, up to Lake Saranac. Photographer, Conor Doherty, brilliantly captured the essence of a magical getaway to this quintessential Adirondack region through his lifestyle images for the property. Spearheaded by partner Javier Cortés, Korn’s role reached into every corner of the historic reinvention. Drawing from the Great Hall – its palazzo-inspired design a replica of the 14th-century Davanzati Palace in Florence – we took from ornately painted beams featuring icons from the region, including geese, hare and fish, reinterpreting them as vintage-inspired posters framed as guestroom art that we created with illustrator Chris Caldwell.

We rekindled the concept of the original hotel’s shopping arcade as a new street level retail shopping promenade, reimagining it as a modern variety store offering twelve distinct mini-boutiques within, and named it Academy + Main after the historic street corner on which it is located. We also set the vision for the gift shop to ensure that the goods sold were special and local, and very much of their place and tied to the idea of exploration. Korn brought in retail consultants, Brian Schnetzer and Gary Briggs of Aunt Sadie’s, to work within the property’s universal brand experience – which Korn established – and to curate the shop’s product offerings.

The new spa, which Korn named Ampersand after one of the area’s famous seven peaks, debuts with indigenous spa treatments and lavish services, while Campfire Adirondack Grill + Bar, the feature restaurant, offers a clever nod to the camp cooks who fueled the poets and philosophers who called these parts their summer home. Everywhere, the fusion of old and new, local and cosmopolitan, is a signature of the holistic hotel brand Korn envisioned – an irresistible gathering place.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2007 – The Liberty Hotel

Unlocking Luxury

Why not? The creative brief was to transform The Charles Street Jail, unoccupied and derelict for 15 years, beside a hospital in a not-so-desirable side of town into a luxury hotel. Driven by the vision of developer Dick Friedman, Carpenter & Company, the brilliance of architect Gary Johnson and his team at C7A, with inspired interiors by Champalimaud, Korn joined the band to orchestrate a complete brand positioning and brand expression of this now reknowned, iconic and historic project.

The transformation of the site is the work of a team of designers and architects collaborating with historians and conservationists from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the Boston Landmarks Commission, the National Park Service and the Boston Redevelopment Authority to ensure that the end result is a careful balance between preservation and dynamic new use.

This was a serious endeavor. The property did much more than bring an exciting new destination to the city, it opened up an entirely new gateway into downtown Boston, this historic redevelopment included a fully new Charles Street T Station, also designed by C7A, and helped to realize the refurbishment of the Teddy Ebersol fields on the Esplanade.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

CELEBRATING + REFRESHING ICONIC PLACES

Memories and experiences fill our till over 25 years of placemaking. This collection of meaningful properties that we have helped to usher forward, showcases how we invoke the best of all worlds: places that are deeply rooted in the past, yet now entirely reinvented for the future. Powerful in stature and driven by the vision and spirit of our amazing clients, who entrust us to respectfully create and push the boundaries, Korn’s own history is written in these stories.

2007 – The Liberty Hotel: Unlocking Luxury
The overarching creative brief was to transform The Charles Street Jail, unoccupied and derelict for 15 years, located beside a hospital in a not-so-desireable side of town, into a luxury hotel. Why not? Driven by the vision of developer Dick Friedman, Carpenter & Company, the brilliance of architect Gary Johnson and his team at C7A, with inspired interiors by Champalimaud, Korn joined the band to orchestrate the brand positioning and expression of this now reknowned, iconic and historic project. View Project >

2018 – Hotel Saranac: An Adirondack Love Affair
With family ties to the region dating back almost 100 years, our client, The Roedel Companies recognized the importance of this legendary grand hotel. Alongside them, Korn Design worked to shepherd the return of an icon, preserving the glorious historic grandeur while creating a luxurious destination for “explorers.” View Project >

2013 – Castle Hill Inn: “Grace’s” Favorite Point
Dramatic is an understatement when referencing this 40-acre estate/Relais and Chateaux destination, overlooking the Naragansett Bay in Newport, RI. A favorite escape spot for Grace Kelley, the property evokes a timeless chic and relaxed elegance that is quintessential New England and Newport. It was time for a refresh to restore their brand identity to embody the history, soul and elegance of the property, capture its authentic Newport vibe and reflect its timeless appeal to both loyals and a new generation of guests seeking a contemporary luxury experience. View Project >

2016 – The MAYFLOWER: The Grande Dame Sails Again
Tapping into the rich vein of its storied past and celebrating its proud heritage as an iconic historic destination, Korn recast The Mayflower as a vibrant and elegant social hub — restating its distinction as the capital city’s foremost host. The heart of this rebrand was less new invention and more a hale and hearty respect for the original identity and story of The Mayflower – a spirited restoration. View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2017 – The DIPLOMAT Beach Resort

“When you work with Korn Design you’re going to get huge commitment. You’re going to get a very collaborative effort. You’re going to get a team who is fully engaged and cares about every detail along the process. It’s really a long-term partnership – with Korn continuing to dedicating the right resources where it matters. I think those are really important attributes when you select an agency.”

– Shai Zelering
Managing Director, Brookfield Properties – Real Estate, Hospitality

We simply love working with Brookfield’s Property Group, their incredible team and Managing Director, Shai Zelering, their fearless, super smart and creative leader. Responsible for The Diplomat’s magnificent rebirth, his vision and his team’s ability to transform signature properties into independent flagship destinations is truly notable. Sharing a long history of collaborating with Shai on projects over the years, the mutual trust and healthy creative tension when our teams join forces never fails to realize amazing results.

We embarked on a multi-year adventure to holistically reimagine and create an entirely new brand experience for The Diplomat Beach Resort. Like a breath of fresh air, together we returned the friendly charisma and vibrancy of an iconic seaside resort back to this place – debuting a Hollywood Florida legend, reborn. Thank you Shai, for your passion and vision – and for inviting us to join you on these magnificent journeys.

Dipping into its treasured past and writing a completely new and evolved narrative, Korn Design re-branded and helped to re-introduced the all-new Diplomat Beach Resort – re-igniting this storied place with a fresh exuberance. Central to the transformation was restoring its legendary standing as a magnetic social hub – re-gaining its buzzy reputation for great food, great entertainment and simply fun, beachside, revealing its true potential at every turn.

Diving deeply into the reaches of the original resort’s allure, we laid claim to the authentic Diplomat experience by crafting a brand that evokes the best of beachside living with a reminiscent twist. An enduring place for generations to come.

Dive in!

“For the Diplomat, we wanted to bring back the essence and unique DNA of the hotel. Creatively, that meant asking, ‘how do you reintroduce a complex project like this with such a long history? We were extremely pleased [with Korn’s answer.] Everything from bringing “ beach resort” into the name, to the careful font selection, to the fresh new color palette, to the copy, was done not out of the blue, but out of deep immersion in the field, research and analysis of what is important, and what would get us to a successful repositioning. They care about every detail.”
– Shai Zelering

Managing Director, Brookfield Properties – Real Estate, Hospitality

View Project >

 

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2016 – HALCYON A Hotel in Cherry Creek

Unhooked from the Ordinary

From its surprisingly residential-inspired lobby to its rooftop perch to the hideaway of the guestrooms, HALCYON, A Hotel in Cherry Creek is luxurious, inviting, modern—an extraordinary hotel-home with a magnetic and magical pull. Like the flock of birds that fly free within the visual identity system, everywhere the air of Colorado ease is palpable and the experience is, quite simply, off the hook.

Stepping across the threshold of HALCYON’s front door instantly conveys the feeling of entering a friend’s fabulous home as a very welcomed guest. Warm, welcoming, and extremely comfortable – with considerate attention to the small stuff – HALCYON, which debuted September 2016, tends to all of the senses in a hotel that revolves around ensuring every creature comfort and taking it all up a notch.

Korn riffed on the hotel-as-home thread with a brand strategy that elevates the concept and engages in surprising ways, richly layered, like the hotel itself. Unlike with friends, guests can never outstay their welcome here.

Starting with the name: “halcyon” has multiple meanings that in combination, summon up a new kind of place. Drawing equally from its definition as a mythical bird fabled to calm the seas and its representation of idyllic happiness, carefree tranquility and prosperity, HALCYON connotes “a feeling.”

The visual identity embraces this at its core. A curated collection of icons speak to nature, luxe lifestyle, fashion and living with ease, all intended to capture the essence of the Halcyon experience – imbued with the ease of Colorado’s lifestyle and the air and grace of a different kind of luxury hotel. Working closely with esteemed interior design firm AvroKO, Korn introduced an interplay of signature brand touchpoints.

Halcyon is intentionally unhooked from the ordinary in all the best ways, as is our long-running collaboration and partnership with the client team from Sage Hospitality. This relationship has been behind so many pivotal shared projects in the hotel and restaurant space – together we push each other’s team to go deeper, think broader and then go back and push it again. Being bold together is fun, inspiring and a packs a huge return.

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2012 – DuVine Cycling & Adventure Co.

“Not only did Korn Design inspire, they led the charge. Working with Korn is not hiring an outside firm to grasp your vision, it’s creating a relationship of trust with people who listen and care. This is the secret sauce.” – Andy Levine, Founder

The divine Andy Levine of DuVine turned to Korn to help him re-tool their brand identity and communications to better reflect the world-class adventures and guest experiences DuVine had become known for across the globe. We embarked on a shared adventure to re-brand the company with a hot new visual identity, web site, print collateral and apparel – celebrating the vibrant style of a DuVine excursion and setting free the fun from within, Andy style.

A DuVine experience is punctuated with refreshing surprises – friends in all corners of the world who greet riders as family, break bread and share stories, bringing “authentic local” to a new level. We coined “Where in the World is Andy” early in the strategic unraveling of what makes DuVine so amazing. Making memories with Andy and his incredible team of knowledgeable guides and hosts is addictive. Likewise, sleek, high-energy and fashion-inspired elements now provide a magnetic appeal as the DuVine story was shared in print, online and in great gear and apparel.

A user-friendly website simplified the planning and trip-coordination process into a much more easy-to-navigate, seamless experience. We wanted the visuals to bring the experience, the locations, and the views from a cycle to life. We were super jazzed about the positive impact that this has had in supporting Andy’s vision and driving DuVine to the next level . . . lovably intense, and seeking the very best, he inspired us to peddle faster and better, Andy style.

Working with Korn makes you think bigger and more boldly about your brand and was vital in propelling my company to where I wanted to take it. They helped to inject the DuVine style and story with its own unique essence. It still feels fresh and relevant today and has served us well. I am a fan and respect what they do on and off the corporate field.” – Andy Levine, Founder

View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2006 & 2008 – The London Hotels

Bringing a Cosmopolitan Lifestyle Brand to the Luxury Boutique Market

In the mid-2000’s, the invitation to help create and launch The London Hotel brand with the incredible development team at Blackstone was a true gift– a celebration of our sweet spot. It was a memorable moment in time when boutique hotel concepts were having their heyday and the market was pretty cluttered and confused. Our vision was to disrupt by migrating the independent hotel experience up the food chain into the luxury lifestyle space.

Having the success and experience of transforming the SAVOY Hotels in London in their quiver, the first of the bi-coastal sister properties, The London NYC in mid-town New York, brought to light Blackstone’s deep understanding of European style, sensibility, and a unique service approach to sophisticated living.

No doubt, much skepticism arose with the bold choice of name here, but we were all clear from the start: this brand would avoid cliché and embody the feeling and sensibility of a truly modern cosmopolitan hotel.

The London Hotels brand represented a coming together of the best of each of its namesake cities, while offering something entirely new, and rearticulated for the U.S. landscape. We were lucky to collaborate with the U.K.-based design firm, David Collins Studio, whose beautiful interiors captured a highly tactile and wholly original aesthetic. We honor the memory and brilliant talent of David Collins and celebrate our amazing symbiotic working relationship with the project’s designer and now Creative Director of David Collins Studio, Simon Rawlings.

The London NYC appropriately took on a more handsome and Midtown Manhattan style than its sunny and glamorous West Coast sister, The London West Hollywood. The subtle but notable shift is achieved through distinct color palettes, patterns and materials. The lifestyle photography – by inspired Brit photographer Antony Crook – tells each of The London stories: one smattered with diffused sunspots and palms and a distinctly LA edge, the other with the tailored sophistication and energy of Midtown Manhattan, capturing the mix of each with The London’s European influence at the core.

Incomparable, iconic, timeless.

View Project >

 

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2001 – Cashmere.com

Luxury + the World Wide Web

Richard Forté, the third generation of the Forté family leaders and one of the most respected innovators and traders in the world of this luxury fiber, was interested in disrupting the luxury segment by creating an e-commerce experience for Forté to make their cashmere garments, of unparalleled luxury and quality, available online. He called Korn and cashmere.com was born.

In keeping with the family tradition of producing only the finest cashmere, spun and knit to the highest standard, Richard was determined to use the site as a place to educate his luxury customers about the Forté difference, sharing the origins and care of the luxurious cashmere garments they were famous for.

Korn took a user-centered approach to introducing the brand online with the highest touch and user experience possible to capture the essence of the “feel” through the website and again through the packaging and information included with each delivery. This was truly the new frontier, and foretold a future of buying all kinds of luxury goods online!

Our first innovative touchpoint inadvertently created a noteworthy moment in the Korn history. With a laser-focus on transmitting the “high touch” of this luxe fiber without an in-store experience, we created a beautifully customized package to send out to the press that included a piece of raw cashmere fiber and a booklet titled “Cashmere 101” that offered a history of the fiber and simple care instructions for these luxury garments. These were shipped in cellophane envelopes so the fiber was visible in the post – a brilliant effort thwarted by the anthrax scare in 2001 when shipping white fluffy stuff through the U.S. post was not positively greeted! The mailing was confiscated and resent inside opaque shipping envelopes . . .

The product packaging was however incredibly well-received. Each garment was shipped in a sweater bag that could be re-used for safe storage. Arriving to the comfort of one’s home, the delivery was crafted to tip its hat to the most world-class luxe packaging as possible. Kudos for Richard for having the foresight to make luxury accessible online – as the world has evolved we look back at this game-changing moment in time and smile.

 

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

NEW YEAR – NEW ADVENTURES

FROM BYTES TO BRITS TO BIKES TO BEACH.

As we turn the corner and look to an exciting year ahead, we are having fun reflecting on some of the more adventurous journeys we have embarked on over the years. Charting new territories was clearly in our DNA from the start: whether bringing luxury cashmere to e-commerce in the early 2000’s or injecting an British-inspired cosmopolitan flair into a saturated boutique hotel market stateside, we were on a mission to align with equally adventurous clients and share each journey to somewhere new.

2001 – Cashmere.com
Check out our first foray onto the World Wide Web! Richard Forté, the third generation of the Forté family leaders and innovators in the world of luxury yarns, was interested in creating an e-commerce experience for Forté and make their cashmere garments, of unparalleled luxury and quality available online. He called Korn. View Project >

2006 & 2008 – The London Hotels
In the mid-2000’s, the invitation to help create and launch The London Hotel brand with the incredible development team at Blackstone was a true gift – a celebration of our sweet spot. It was a memorable moment in time when boutique hotel concepts were having their heyday and the market was pretty cluttered and confused. Our vision was to disrupt by migrating the independent hotel experience up the food chain into the luxury lifestyle space. View Project >

2012 – DUVINE Cycling & Adventure Co.
The divine Andy Levine of DuVine turned to Korn to help him re-tool their brand identity and communications to better reflect the world-class adventures and guest experiences DuVine had become known for across the globe. We embarked on a shared adventure to re-brand the company with a hot new visual identity, web site, print collateral and apparel – celebrating the vibrant style of a DuVine excursion and setting free the fun from within, Andy style. View Project >

2016 – HALCYON A Hotel in Cherry Creek
From its surprisingly residential-inspired lobby to its rooftop perch to the hideaway of the guestrooms, HALCYON, A Hotel in Cherry Creek is luxurious, inviting, modern—an extraordinary hotel-home with a magnetic and magical pull. Like the flock of birds that fly free within the visual identity system, everywhere the air of Colorado ease is palpable and the experience is, quite simply, off the hook. View Project >

2017 – The DIPLOMAT Beach Resort
We simply love working with Brookfield’s Property Group, their incredible team and their fearless, super smart and creative leader Managing Director, Shai Zelering. Responsible for The Diplomat’s magnificent rebirth, his vision and his team’s ability to transform signature properties into independent flagship destinations is truly notable. Sharing a long history of collaborating with Shai and the wonderful Jennifer Rutkowski, VP of Sales + Marketing, on projects over the years, the mutual trust and healthy creative tension when our teams join forces never fails to realize amazing results.

We embarked on a multi-year adventure to holistically reimagine and create an entirely new brand experience for The Diplomat Beach Resort. Like a breath of fresh air, together we returned the friendly charisma and vibrancy of an iconic seaside resort back to this place – debuting a Hollywood Florida legend, reborn. Thank you Shai, for your passion and vision – and for inviting us to join these magnificent journeys. View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2011 – DGBG + Daniel Boulud

A Leather Jacket, A Motorbike + Soufflé of course

Daniel had seen one of our new projects that had recently opened in Chicago an SRG restaurant called Mercat. That prompted him to call to ask if we’d be interested in collaborating with him on a new concept he was planning to open on the Bowery in Manhattan. We next found ourselves getting under the skin of what would become DBGB Kitchen + Bar. Daniel’s POV on a great neighborhood brasserie with a downtown twist included bangers and beer, a late-nite attitude for all of his friends to gather and of course adventures to follow . . .

Graced with Daniel’s unique touch and team, and laced with an interpretive take on an industrial hood, filled with restaurant supply shops and quirky wholesalers, and located just steps from the storied home of CBGB where punk was literally born – we riffed on its industrial grit and hand-crafted an “anti-brand” for DBGB in the spirit of this distinctive place. Bravo to Thomas Schlesser’s interiors that were both true to place and beautifully inventive, including the personally signed copper pots send from Daniel’s Chef friends around the world to stock the shelves. We are sad to see the doors close on the spirited birthplace in NYC but you can now find its new sister in Washington, D.C.

We are grateful to have heeded Daniel’s call and now call him a friend. One of the most generous and kind-hearted people in the business, we know that fun and integrity come on each culinary adventure we take together.

Merci.

View Project > 

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2010 – The Palm Restaurant Group

So the phone rings and it’s Bruce Bozzi, fourth generation of the family-owned and beloved Palm Restaurants. Did you know that The Palm was first opened on the East Side of Manhattan in 1921 by Italian immigrants from Parma? The legacy and history behind this storied family of restaurants is palpable. Bruce had called to talk to us about developing a new website for the company. Fast forward to 2010 Korn worked closely with Bruce and his entire team relaunch a complete brand refresh for The Palm Restaurant Group – across 25 restaurants in the U.S. and Mexico, to secure it’s place for generations to come.

We started by talking with Bruce’s father, Bruce Bozzi, Sr. and uncle Wally Ganzi to gain their confidence and permission to help steward their family legacy. We then dug deep, collecting memorabilia from the very early days and interviewing team members with upwards of 30+ years with the company. Our approach was to peel back to the essence of what The Palm stands for, what is core to its loyal following after so many years, and its relevance in today’s market. The result was powerful.

With its enduring legacy in mind, we redrew the original Palm logotype referencing original menus and matchbooks we found on E-Bay. We also created a hand-written typeface, signature to The Palm.

View Project > 

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

2005 – SUMMER SHACK

Food is Love.

The vision was to reinvent New England’s beloved classic summertime seafood shack, capturing the essence of the quintessential roadside experience and making it available all year round. What’s not to love? We had a lot of fun working with the dream team behind Summer Shack, Patrick Lyons, entertainment + restaurant renegade and Chef Jasper White, acclaimed restaurateur and seafood expert. Now that’s a lobster . . . and it’s not even our favorite thing on the menu!

The “Food Is Love.” phrase was coined early on by Jasper while fleshing out of the concept and familiar – meets – iconic menu. At its core the ultra-casual ambiance of this “seafood shack on steroids” had to have great but simple food made from the heart.

We wanted the entire expression of the Summer Shack brand to follow suit. Intent to capture the mom-and-pop aspect of the seasonal oceanside “seafood shacks” we used hand-lettered throughout, including the primary logo with its iconic red bubble-style lettering and spirited ad campaigns. We also cut and pasted and taped together the menu content, stationery elements, nothing was held precious or allowed to feel computer generated, The result is a timeless visual system that just feels right.

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

1993-2017 – To Go Bakery, Hooch & Holly’s, Kid’s Can Cook, FLUX, MAX ULTIMATE FOOD

“The best part of working with Korn Design is that you go to them with an idea and you leave with an entire vision.” – Dan Mathieu

In 1991 Denise Korn had just relocated to Boston and tried to get Dan Mathieu to hire her to train as a pastry chef in his bakery in Boston’s South End. His advice was to stick to her lane and stay true to her passion for design. When Korn hung its shingle in 1992, Dan Mathieu – the wildly creative mind behind so many magical culinary adventures – became one of our first clients and the rest is history.

The ToGo Bakery was one of our very first projects, followed by Hooch & Holly’s in Ogunquit, Maine (1997), FLUX in Boston’s South End (2002) and then the birth of MAX Ultimate Food (2001) that continues to thrive all over New England. Mix in Dan’s incredibly philanthropic dedication to community and Kid’s Can Cook (1997), shined brightly for young chefs across the city.

Every project was very personal for Dan, as are his relationships with each of his team members, clients and partners. His passion for art and making things evolved in parallel with the revolution he has been cooking up at every turn. An avid gardener, woodworker, painter, tinkerer, crafter and visionary, Dan pulls from all around him to find inspiration and ideas for what he’s serving and the environments he creates to surround each experience and inspiring Korn to weave this into each brand’s texture and personality.

Today, nature, artfulness and humanity are at the core of the MAX Ultimate Food chapter. Alongside partner Neal Balkowitsch, since its inception, we can’t wait to see what’s in store at each MAX event!

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

A THANKFUL FEAST

WITH A DASH OF KORN ON THE SIDE.
Feast your eyes on our full course of tastes + tidbits, sushi + soufflés, lobster + libations.

We are grateful to have set the table, set the stage, and disrupted the culinary scene across the U.S. along side some of the most inspirational and hard working talent we know: foodies with big hearts and bold creativity, a dash of Korn and a lot of fun on the side.

1993 – 2017 – To Go Bakery, Hooch & Holly’s, Kid’s Can Cook, FLUX, MAX ULTIMATE FOOD
Dan Mathieu, the wildly creative mind behind so many magical culinary adventures, has worked with Korn since we first hung our shingle in 1992. The ToGo Bakery was one of our very first projects, followed by Hooch & Holly’s in Ogunquit, Maine (1997), FLUX in Boston’s South End (2002) and then the birth of MAX Ultimate Food (2001) that continues to thrive all over New England. Mix in Dan’s incredibly philanthropic dedication to community and Kid’s Can Cook (1997), shined brightly for young chefs across the city. View Project >

2005 – SUMMER SHACK
The vision was to reinvent New England’s beloved classic summertime seafood shack, capturing the essence of the quintessential roadside experience and making it available all year round. What’s not to love? We had a lot of fun working with the dream team behind Summer Shack, Patrick Lyons, entertainment + restaurant renegade and Chef Jasper White, acclaimed restaurateur and seafood expert. Now that’s a lobster . . . and it’s not even our favorite thing on the menu! View Project >

2010 – The Palm Restaurant Group
So the phone rings and it’s Bruce Bozzi, fourth generation of the family-owned and beloved Palm Restaurants. Did you know that The Palm was first opened on the East Side of Manhattan in 1921 by Italian immigrants from Parma? The legacy and history behind this storied family of restaurants is palpable. Bruce had called to talk to us about developing a new website for the company. Fast forward to 2010 Korn worked closely with Bruce and his entire team relaunch a complete brand refresh for The Palm Restaurant Group – across 25 restaurants in the U.S. and Mexico, to secure it’s place for generations to come. View Project >

2011 – DBGB + Daniel Boulud
Daniel had seen one of our new projects that had recently opened in Chicago an SRG restaurant called Mercat. That prompted him to call to ask if we’d be interested in collaborating with him on a new concept he was planning to open on the Bowery in Manhattan. We next found ourselves getting under the skin of what would become DBGB Kitchen + Bar. Daniel’s POV on a great neighborhood brasserie with a downtown twist included bangers and beer, a late-nite attitude for all of his friends to gather and of course adventures to follow . . . View Project >

We are excited to share 25 pivotal projects, partnerships and creative moments with you over the next six months. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get monthly updates of our 25 years of projects. Follow us on Instagram to see more behind the scenes at Korn over the last 25 years!

Discover the power of a brave new brand.