Il Teatro di Cestello is a small community theater just south of the Arno River in Florence, Italy. Originally a small parish hall for the neighboring Church of San Frediano in Cestello, it now serves as a community epicenter for local theater, youth classes, and other events. This rebrand celebrates the theater’s historical roots, using them as a metaphor for community enmeshment through the stage.

The identity of the theater is derived from its name. The title “Cestello”—meaning basket—takes from the neighboring Cistercian church whose monastic heritage was renowned for drawing intricate woven geometric patterns. In this new brand identity, these patterns are transformed into beautiful tessellated monograms, with a common “CT” pattern representing the theater itself, and bespoke woven patterns representing the individual productions. But the notion of the basket transcends merely the woven imagery; Il Teatro di Cestello is a storied community landmark that unites those living nearby. It is a metaphorical cornucopia. The woven patterns suggests that each program is part of the larger community tapestry.

Research

This project was not really a rebrand, because the theater did not have a pre-existing brand identity. So, in my research, I started from scratch, investigating the theater’s values, programs, history, and architecture, and seeking tone, meaningful forms, and visuals metaphors.

Il Teatro di Cestello was founded at the beginning of the 20th century, and underwent a series of closings and re-openings over the next seventy years. Since officially and finally reopening in 1985, it has prided itself in its central location and community enmeshment, even taking the name of the church and piazza in which it’s located. It is the only production company south of the Arno River, and it puts on weekly shows, adult workshops, and youth productions. The theater’s pride its role in the community became a key component in the development of the brand.

The building itself is modest, both in appearance and production, lacking any notable ornament or architectural vision. On the inside it is colorful, hodgepodge, and filled with puppets. (I saw a 45-minute puppet monologue there, but that’s not their main thing.) This quaint-ness, as well as its minimal, geometric facade became fruitful points of reference in early design iterations.

Lastly, as mentioned above, the name Cestello has a potent history. The monks at the Church of San Frediano were referred to as “the monks of the basket” due to the intricate woven patterns they drew, and this soon became the name of not only the church, but the entire neighborhood. Due to the theater’s deep community connection, I decided that using this name, rather than focusing on a specific aspect of the humble theater, was appropriate.

Development

I struggled with early development, as I felt the theater lacked many strong visuals to build off of or a super precise mission statement. Though abstract, I was able to lean into the notion of community, and through initial studies, a dichotomy of tones and references began to emerge. I could lean into either the quirky, local atmosphere or something more dynamic and artful. I could either use the geometric facade to derive form or the woven patterns hearkened to by “Cestello”. I submitted a proposal for each combination of these tones and forms.

Feedback to these proposals favored the woven imagery, as it more effectively communicated the notion of coalescence or community. Feedback also favored the dynamism of the fourth option. Although it would need reworking for clarity, and I was instructed to bring a more stately and historic tone to it, this would ultimately be the option I moved forward with.

Final

Refining this approach, I restricted the totally freeform pattern to a stricter weave. Rather than using a messy overlay, I decided to spotlight the woven monogram as the typographic centerpiece of each design. I would also make a unique pattern for each show. This type-forward approach resulted in a more classic tone, which aligned with the feedback I received. The final logo multiplies a nested CT monogram to create the beginning of a larger woven pattern, which serves as the foundation of the pattern-making that defines the final design system.