Nation Station - Beirut

Identity Design - Branding

Located in Beirut, Lebanon, Nation Station stands as a symbol of resilience, togetherness, and inclusivity. It is a community kitchen housed in a once-abandoned gas station, renovated after the blast to feed residents in need. Today, Nation Station provides support and nourishment to the community, fostering a spirit of unity and collaboration among all residents.

To truly understand and capture the essence of Nation Station, we embarked on a comprehensive design research journey. Engaging with members, founders, staff, and beneficiaries, we asked thought-provoking questions like "What is Nation Station to you?" and "What are Nation Station's core values?" Through these innovative conversations and interactions, we gained invaluable insights and identified key themes such as inclusivity, community, and resilience.

Building on these insights, we meticulously translated these keywords into the visual language of typography, graphics, and color palettes. We recognized that Nation Station's transformation from a gas station to a community kitchen was a pivotal part of its identity. Therefore, we incorporated subtle nods to this history within the branding as easter eggs, serving as an homage to its journey and evolution.

The branding embodies these core values through the use of local Arabic elements. By incorporating the kashida—an elongation of characters—along with a “local” typeface, Inline Arabic by Tarek Attrisi (ArabicType), a sense of unity and inclusivity is ensured. These graphic choices reflect the openness and collaborative spirit that defines Nation Station, making it a welcoming space for all. To maintain inclusivity, we employed both Arabic and Latin scripts. Gawhar was chosen as the secondary Arabic typeface for texts and labels, paired with the strong horizontal and low x-height features of the elongated PP Formula. This combination of typefaces creates a dynamic bilingual identity, accessible to everyone, from local beneficiaries to volunteers, ensuring that everyone feels welcome.