There are countless corporations and businesses in our society. And as a method to approach and imprint themselves on the audience, they utilize branding. Especially, branding happening in physical space has many things to consider due to having more immersive interaction opportunities. People will remember the brand not just based on vision, they will reminisce about space based on what they felt through their five senses. So, to offer great memory that satisfies all senses, creators should think about branding from various perspectives.

To talk about what makes a memorable spatial experience specifically, I would like to discuss by giving an example that I was impressed with.

I want to introduce an accommodation in Leavenworth, WA about 2 hours apart from Seattle. There is a hotel called Enzian Inn

At the beginning of the town, Enzian Inn is settled down and welcomes guests with its German-style architectural exterior. Their deep considerations exist throughout the whole venue, and there are several things to learn from how they created their space.

1. Harmonization

One of the distinctive characteristics of great design can be justified by how they used restrictions and existing conditions. By coordinating obstacles and possibilities, some great thoughts bloom. The Enzian Inn also uses the existing context well and melts it into an architectural way.

First, they utilize the surrounding nature as their design resources. On each level, they create a resting place to chill and enjoy the scenery. People can view the tremendous mountains in the daytime, and the night sky after the sun goes down. Especially, in the courtyard that faces towards the mountain, people can hear the sound of nature coming from birds or wind. The cafeteria on the very top level is also designed cleverly to bring nature inside. There are large windows that cover three sides of the room. Due to those windows, the abundant amount of natural light comes through and elevates the freshness of the space. And beyond the windows, a magnificent landscape is shown, therefore people can taste food and view simultaneously.

Second, they are harmonizing well with other nearby architecture. The whole town is planned out as a German Village, and Enzian Inn also follows the concept. The exterior is mainly designed with white concrete and wood, which reminds the traditional architectural styles in northern Europe. The inside is coordinated with vintage wooden furniture and forest-inspired décors. Therefore, guests who expect to visit Leavenworth to experience the German culture will be fulfilled by what they are offering.

2. Coherence

A cohesive brand identity on every customer’s touch point is essential for delivering the brands’ thoughts and values clearly. Enzian Inn also expresses its identity with various methods. First of all, architectural-wise, they built their hotel in a traditional German style as I mentioned above. Further, the same concept is applied to their interior as well. Most of their furniture is handcrafted and contains natural motifs. As a result, the overall atmosphere is authentic and warm.

Their considerable thought continues on signages as well. They dominantly use traditional German-style typographies. and some signages are designed with relative ornamentations, such as a blue trumpet flower. (Enzian means a blue trumpet flower in German) The handcrafted aesthetic is applied to their signage systems as well, and it elevates the folksy atmosphere even more.

Overall, all the components in Enzian Inn are designed under the same concept, which means they keep consistency throughout the whole space. Coherence in branding is the same as keeping the core message in speaking. A speech outside of the topic is not enough to inspire people, likewise branding without coherence wouldn’t have enough power to be remembered.

3. Sincereness

The power of sincereness is creating something special beyond expectation. Since 1989, Enzian Inn never stopped expanding its venue. Now they have 104 rooms, outdoor and indoor pools, and also a little golf course. People who stay at their hotel can enjoy all of these complementary. Their dream is to create a downhill ski run on the mountain overlooking the Leavenworth Valley, so their passion for offering various types of customer service is still ongoing.

Their sincereness continues at breakfast time by Bob Johnson (Owner) and his son. They dress up the traditional clothes and perform an instrument called Alphorn every morning. By their performance, the casual breakfast time turns into a special musical experience.

What makes a memorable spatial experience?