Messier 53 Hotel Yerevan

Design: Backbone Branding
Brand Strategy Director: Stepan Avanesyan
Assistant Brand Strategist: Meri Sargsyan
Creative Director: Stepan Azaryan
Art Director: Christina Khlushyan
Designer: Eliza Malkhasyan, Christina Khlushyan, Stepan Azaryan, Gayane Danielyan
Architect: Hayk Voskanyan
Project Type: Produced, Commercial Work
Location: Yerevan, Armenia
Packaging Contents: Hotel room essentials
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Cardboard, paper, plastic

Messier 53 (M53) is a boutique hotel with 53 rooms, named after a French astronomer who was the first to compile a catalog of astronomical objects. The main essence of the brand is the spirit of discovery that takes you to a mystic journey through the universe.

The hotel has a strong fundamental concept, which is expressed in its architecture and brand identity. The architecture of the building was the main inception of the branding concept. The construction reminds of something unearthly and looks like a space station. Therefore, the same idea has been implemented in the interior design, as well as the branding visualization.

Following the spirit of exploration and discoveries, the team developed original packaging design with new structures for the hotel kits and amenities. Each item has a customized deep mystic mood from the universe, which has been transformed into structural packaging. The sets of boxes feature shimmering stars, sharp gleaming grids and the beauty of the astronomical objects. The numbers and lines recall some notes from the Messier’s catalog. The design highlights the concept of the project and follows the overall mood of the hotel.