ESTRATEGIC DESIGN / POWER RESULTS
Villa Ana, located in the Casco Antiguo of Panama, is a cultural emblem with a rich and captivating history. Built in the late 19th century and remodeled in the 1920s, it was home to the influential Arias family. Ana Mercedes Arias, its last resident, traveled for months to Egypt, New York, and France, visited galleries, bought works of art, collected miniatures, and enjoyed the fine dining and nightlife of those bustling 1920s.
Today, Villa Ana has transformed into a multifaceted space that preserves its historic charm, a sensory journey through the luxurious lifestyle of the era.
The brand's visual identity centers on Ana Mercedes Arias and the exquisite architecture, design, and decoration of the place. The iconography used rescues details of the building and its style. The logo (word mark), with a specially designed lettering, harmonizes with the style of the place, having unique features in its design. Finally, the seal, or monogram "VA," serves as an identifier for certain applications of the visual identity, completing the visual ecosystem of this brand with a secondary typography and color palette that close the visual discourse.
Recreating Ana's image was a challenge, given the limitation of having only one photograph available: a girl at her first communion. From that image, Ana was explored at various stages of her life (16, 20, 25, and 30 years old), dressing her in period clothing and accessories, adapted to international style and the Panamanian context. This development involved specialists in development with artificial intelligence, and professionals in photography and design. The framing, focus, lighting, contrasts, color, and digital retouching were worked on, thus integrating Ana's image into the spaces and the special atmosphere of the house.
The menu was designed as a luxurious album of period photographs, a key piece to present the history, the essence of the house, and Ana Mercedes Arias, without neglecting the exceptional gastronomic offering of Villa Ana.
