Nicole Gröff designed these business cards for Rhoden Arq + Imob, an architecture and real estate company dedicated to providing customers with end-to-end solutions to live well and invest with efficiency.
Located in Brasília and managed by partners Andressa and Roseli Rhoden, a mother-daughter team, the company offers personalised and innovative services in the fields of architecture and real estate.
Their goal is to support clients in consultation, improving the purchasing and selling process of properties, ultimately ensuring clients find the perfect property for their specific needs.
For the brand identity, Nicole not only developed functional branding but also created exclusive illustrations and a texture drawn from the map of Brasilia specifically for her client.
A Modern Brand Image
Nicole said that the challenge of this visual identity project was to communicate the company’s message.
It involved reinforcing its contemporary nature and other strong brand attributes, such as sophistication, efficiency, organisation, boldness, creativity, experience, and solidity.
“The brand’s visual identity was conceptualised in a modern and clean way.”
“This includes a handmade touch through the use of textures and digital illustrations, made in art line style with a charcoal brush.”
Logo Design and Icons
Rhoden’s logo, constructed with geometric lines, establishes a connection to the city’s architectural universe.
The shapes of the letters evoke famous architectural landmarks. For instance, the JK Memorial and Bridge, the National Congress, the Caxias Fort, and the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Nicole explained, “The initials of Rhoden (RHO) were chosen to represent the brand’s logo instead of using its full name.”
“This is a strategy for a more intimate approach to its customers.”
“The unfilled letters, drawn only with the outline lines, express transparency and lightness, essential characteristics of the brand’s personality.”
Not only that, the “R”, “H”, and “O” letters also inspired the creation of brand icons.
“The H transforms into a house symbol, while the O represents a cycle, symbolising the end-to-end solutions offered.”
“When the three letters are combined, they form a customised key icon for Rhoden.”
Illustrations and Map Design
Nicole shared that the creation of an exclusive collection of illustrations, called calungas, is a differential strategy adopted by Rhoden to highlight its human, affective, and artistic sides and generate identification as it represents its ideal clients.
“The texture used on the business card cover was created from a map of Brasilia, the city where the company is based.”
“The lines of the map were vectorized in Illustrator software, through the Image Trace command, using the Art Line preset.”
A Wide Range of Typography
Two opposite style aspects have been identified within the design.
One of them involved the adoption of fine and delicate typography in the logo, representing a more feminine approach.
In contrast, the use of robust and geometric fonts catered to the male universe.
Before breaking down the typefaces used, take note that Nicole created two versions of the business card: one featuring a QR code and the other displaying a map.
Typefaces for Business Cards
“For the QR code business card, the slogan was written with Unna (bold, italic), and the rest with Inter – both are available on Google Fonts.”
“Unna was chosen for use in headlines and prominent phrases, while Inter, with its more neutral style, helps compose body text and is ideal for reading on screens.”
“For the map version, Inter was chosen again for the text blocks due to its readability.”
“The partners’ names were designed with The Queen One, a modern, script font, chosen to give the cards a more personal touch, like a handwritten signature.”
“The ‘Rhoden Arq + Imob’ tagline in the bottom-left corner was written with Eymen Pro, a new sans serif created by Serdar Ozturk.”
“All the brand’s taglines were standardised with this font, which even accompanies the ‘RHO’ logo.”
Typeface for Logotype
It’s worth noting that Nicole actually designed each letter of the Rhoden logo herself.
“The design was initially inspired by the geometry of the Digitechno font, developed by PutraCetol Studio.”
“The final shapes are based on famous architectural masterpieces from the city of Brasilia, where the brand operates.”
“This relationship between the shape of the letters and the shape of monuments shows the connection of the company, in its essence, with the architectural and real estate universe to which it belongs.”
Black/White and Other Colours
While the business cards use mainly monochrome colours in their design, Nicole applied warm colours in other branding materials.
She elaborated, “To emphasise lightness, simplicity, and transparency, light and neutral colours were adopted.”
“Warm tones were also incorporated to reinforce the concepts of cosiness, comfort, and the search for closeness.”
“The chosen colours were inspired by the materials used in civil construction, such as plaster, sand, clay, metal, cement, and marble.”
Printing of Business Cards
These business cards are not printed, but if they were, here’s what Nicole suggested:
“I would recommend a soft touch lamination finish for the business cards.”
“The business cards would be printed on traditional card stock, rectangular and with a size of 50 mm x 80 mm.”
Overall, this is authentic branding with a thoughtfully designed business card that stays true to its essence.
More Business Card Ideas You May Find Interesting:
- Architectural business cards
- Black and White business cards
- Modern business cards
- Monochrome business cards
- Real Estate business cards
Check out our Business Card Categories to find more business card ideas.
Designed by Nicole Gröff
For Rhoden Arq + Imob | Architecture & Real Estate
