Collaborating on the reimagination of four bars and restaurants inside an iconic Miami resort.
ClientGencom
TypeFood and Beverage
ServicesStrategy, Brand Architecture, Naming, Visual Identity, Collateral
LocationKey Biscayne, USA
Interior DesignDesignAgency
Key Biscayne is an eight-mile-long barrier island just east of Miami, linked to the city by Rickenbacker Causeway. A short drive from Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne has always felt like a place apart—a tranquil escape that feels a world away from Miami’s frenetic energy. When Gencom co-developed the 420-key, 17-acre Ritz-Carlton here in 2001, the vision was to underscore that sense of calm—to create a serene, tropical retreat, framed by 600 feet of waterfront, and the largest tennis facility of any Ritz-Carlton in the world.
In 2025, Gencom initiated a US $100 million revitalization of the property, engaging StudioDA to support the reimagination of the property’s food and beverage offering. Working in close collaboration with DesignAgency, StudioDA developed an identity for each of the resort’s four primary dining and drinking destinations. Our task: To create a set of visual identities that felt cohesive, all part of a consistent resort experience, but that still telegraphed to guests that each outlet offered its own distinctive sense of place.
To achieve this, we gave each outlet—Luma (Italian trattoria), Dune (beach grill), Paralía (Greek-inflected light fare), and Rum Bar (cocktails)—a distinctive type style and colour palette, informed by the interiors. Working with frequent StudioDA collaborator Steven Tachauer, we then developed a unifying illustration language, taking inspiration from each menu and offering, and developing a master pattern system to tie all four outlets together. The result is a set of collateral, spanning takeout packaging, coasters, and beyond, that can be used across outlets, streamlining operations while preserving a critical sense of differentiation and diversity.
Since reopening in December 2025, the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne has been celebrated as one of Miami's most significant hospitality stories. For StudioDA, the engagement represented a remarkable opportunity to breathe new life into a beloved, legendary property.
Working closely with DesignAgency, we breathed new life into each space, creating four outlets that felt distinct yet cohesive.
Our brief: Retain a connection to Key Biscayne while also transporting guests to the Greek Islands, Northern Italy, Havana and the Caribbean.
We developed a set of custom illustrations, with elements inspired by each outlet, and a master-branded pattern to unify all four outlets.
