My wife and I met Chad Draper while purchasing our first home. He was new to Portland and the local real estate market. His work ethic and customer service were second-to-none—it left a lasting impression on us. After helping us close on our first home, Chad and his team further extended their hospitality to us as new homeowners by offering advice, answering questions, and even pitching in with maintenance issues over the following months.
As our relationship grew, he asked if I could design a visual identity for the real estate team he was building. I sat down with Chad and his assistant to discuss names, influences, and short-term and long-term goals for the business.
As we chatted, I noticed how enamored Chad was with Portland—he kept referring to feeling like he’d found his “Place” and how he wanted to share that same feeling of belonging with his future clients as he helped them find their place. It was decided, Place Portland it was!
I took what I’d learned from our meetings and combined that with my perspective as an actual client of his and set about coming up with a visual identity that embodied the true Place Portland ethos.
I decided to house the wordmark in a square because not only does a square provide shelter and protection, it also unifies purpose with form. From a typographic standpoint, the wordmark had to be timeless and fit the geometric constraints of the design.
Using Paul Renner’s Futura as a base, I manipulated the letterforms and introduced the only pictorial element to the logo for literal, yet subtle, symbolism. I situated the silhouette of a house under the “A” in “Place” to help communicate the team's services and build brand recognition.
Looking back, I’m still very happy with the decisions I made on this project, and the logo continues to serve Chad and his team well as they expand operations beyond Portland.
This was a milestone in my professional journey. I’d not only managed to keep the creative direction on-track—I’d created a well-crafted logo. Through experience, observation, and empathy, this project effortlessly evolved as the story unfolded in front of me.
I hope the next adventure goes as smoothly.