LUDOQUIST is a board game cafe in Croydon which combines food, drink, comics and games to create a unique customer experience. The cafe was a lifelong dream of its owners, Nick and Carrie, who retired from their separate careers in an endeavour to build a new business together.

The cafe seeks to share their passion for board games with others and is built upon a fundamental belief in the unique social benefits of gaming to bring people together through communication, problem solving and competition. The cafe has a unique appreciation for the positive impact that board games can have on improving peoples mental health and well being. It was an honour to work alongside Nick and Carrie for over a year in their journey to build this personal and passionate project. I was commissioned by Studio Raw to design both the brand and interior of the cafe and managed its entire renovation in the lead up to the launch!

We created an accessible and engaging brand to represent the alternative and playful personality of the cafe and its concept. The brand explores the idea of simulation and visual representation used in gaming. Most board games simulate a reality to some extent. This may be a simulation of a time in history, a place in the world, or a system within society. Through the constructed narratives, representational objects, graphical renders and considered rules, an alternate reality is created. Through experimentation with size and scale, dimensional state, colour and physical shape or form I created a logo and a sequence of brand components to be used by the client across merchandise and menus.

The interior presents a warm, welcoming and inclusive space focussed on encouraging people to connect with others through gaming. I have since visited the LUDOQUIST many times to eat, play and say hello!