Arcaya

Client.

Bondstone

Starting a Business. Brand Strategy & Positioning. Naming. Visual Identity. Real Estate.

A prime real estate project aiming to restore the Algarve’s natural glory.

Bondstone challenged us to create the name and visual identity for a real estate sustainable project in Vilamoura. We developed Arcaya, a brand inspired by science, nature, and modern design that will lead the Algarve’s sustainable transformation.

Arcaya, a brand inspired by science, nature, and modern design.

Challenge.

Bondstone came to us with a challenge: create a meaningful brand for a sustainable village comprising 700 homes in Vilamoura, in the heart of the Algarve.

With an investment of 700M€ and having eco-friendly construction and practices at the core, the main goal was to create the ultimate year-round living destination with pure respect for the natural environment.

We were setting ourselves up to create a brand restarting life in the Algarve for each family and the plan

Immersion.

Our starting point was to understand the Algarve. We did that through interviews with different stakeholders (from local brokers and real estate sustainability specialists to the municipality), site visits, market and competitor benchmarks, and a deep dive into the Algarve’s construction history by the coast. We took three significant outcomes: massive construction is mainly characterised by heavy concrete and tall buildings, lacking some thought on its negative impact; the change of this paradigm and a new focus on sustainable construction is urgent and mandatory; and Vilamoura is a unique and attractive destination in the Golden Triangle, combining urban life and natural seclusion - a place that is not only good for a living but also for investing.

Insight.

After the immersion, we were clear about our strategic insight: to lead the sustainable transformation in the Algarve. This project should set the pace for change and bring back the Algarve’s very best by treating it as it should have always been treated, taking advantage of this prime location and protecting its best natural assets - making the best sustainable choices from its architecture to its biodiversity.

“We want to make use of what is natural in the place with the aim that when you are inside this place, you feel nature in its raw state.” - Bondstone

“Doing the smallest interventions possible and always natural infiltration areas - this is the main strategy.” - Batlleiroig

Naming.

To create a name that would encompass our purpose, we went back to the start, literally, to discover that one of the first forms of life on earth is called the Archaea - referring to one of the three domains in which all living beings are classified, characterised by their resilience to extreme environments and their role in balancing our ecosystem.

As we explored different derivations of this word, we landed on Arcaya. The name Arcaya clearly represented our purpose of restarting life in the Algarve. It allowed us to make an evident sustainability statement enhanced by the brand tagline: The Very Nature of Life.

Archaea is derived from the Greek word archaios, meaning ‘ancient’ or ‘primitive.

Visual Identity.

The visual identity combines both the past and future for a naturally timeless brand: from the origins to the future. The main typography is semi-serifed in a balanced classic/contemporary style, with a rich design marked by contrasting weights. The secondary one, which will play a more aesthetic role in communication, is a reinterpretation of the old biology and Botanics books—including handwritten notes like word definitions adapted to the project's concept that will be accompanied by scientific/botanical illustrations.

The brand's chromatic universe combines a neutral dark grey with the freshness and energy of a turquoise green and a sophisticated sandy white. This way, the primitive scientific heritage will be balanced with a contemporary design that enhances the sophistication of the project.

Launch.

Arcaya was launched at SIL, an annual fair held at the Salão Imobiliário de Lisboa. This is the most significant event dedicated exclusively to the real estate sector in Portugal, bringing together industry professionals and the general public.

Our biggest challenge was making Arcaya stand out among the numerous other projects and increasing its share of voice at an event that attracts over 20,000 people annually.

Therefore, we proposed to host a conference with relevant content and participants. “The Future of Architecture – a Conversation on Sustainability and Innovation" was led by Bondstone and featured participation from Batlleiroig (the project’s architectural team), CBRE, JLL, the Head of Research and Operations of SerQ and the Mayor of Loulé Municipality.