This project was completed in conjunction with an AI for Brand Designers course to explore how AI technologies can be used as part of the brand strategy and identity development process*. While AI technologies have (obviously) been used extensively in the Safehold project, it's so much more then 'pressing a button' and a large amount of traditional strategy and design methodology has been used in the project below. The proposed cafe (and it's location) is obviously hypothetical.
You can read an expanded version of my thoughts on AI as part of the brand design process (and more) in this blog article.
* ALL other brand design work on this website has been done without AI intervention. I would never try and misrepresent AI output as my own work and as you'll see, even WITH the (heavy) use of generative technology shown here, it still takes a large amount of experience, perspective, finesse and taste to create even passable results.
To imagine a new independent coffee shop in the heart of the Brisbane CBD. The space will be open 24 hours a day and will serve specialty coffee, pastries and simple food.
The proposed location is at the current Pancake Manor site. While this is a new brand, it's been requested that the 'quasi-medieval' aesthetic is reimagined and repackaged for the new space.
Most of the Brisbane CBD Coffee destinations are built around the movement and needs of 9-5 professional workers. There is a big focus on efficiency with coffee quality and service being an expected standard rather then a brand differentiator.
There are four key cafe aesthetics commonly seen in Brisbane CBD and it's surrounds.
Heritage-as-BrandThe building is the brand. Original features such as exposed brick, original beams and high ceilings are the key visual with minimal branding assets applied.
Lab / Workshop CoffeeCoffee as precision, not comfort. Brewing innovation and the associated equipment is the key differentiator- the trust in expertise balances the cold stainless steel, hyper minimalist interior.
Hidden Oasis or Laneway EscapeA secret calm spot in the chaos. From laneway destinations that embrace the Queensland climate to barely branded holes in the wall, these smaller venues don't generally encourage long term refuge.
Soft Aesthetic CalmInstagram-friendly serenity. Often found in alternative beverage stores (eg. matcha), these spaces are defined by their Japanese or Scandinavian styling and are the backdrop for highly photographable moments.
Most Brisbane CBD coffee destinations borrow their meaning only from their architecture rather then trying to build a distinct and memorable brand identity that builds recognition.
The majority of cafes are transitory- they are either designed for high-turn over morning commutes or are cost-but-small spaces that don't support long stays (or accesibility).
An issue beyond cafes is the lack of 'third spaces'; all boutique (aka non-chain) Brisbane CBD coffee destinations have very limited hours that don't support use after 3pm.
What’s missing visually:
Safehold is an adaptable space for all kinds of patrons at all times; early morning professionals, afternoon old friend catch-ups, early evening students, late night hospo staff and 4am post-shift workers are all welcome.
For the purposes of building a brand that truly connects, I determined that solo visitors (usually looking to work, study or relax between commitments) are the primary target market to focus energy on.
Age: 26–30
Occupation: Freelance graphic designer + sessional university tutor
Location: Inner Brisbane (Teneriffe / Newstead / West End), works in the CBD
Life Stage: Early career, building momentum, self-directed but socially connected
Overview: She lives a hybrid life — part structured, part fluid. Her days don’t follow a strict 9–5, and neither do her ideas. She moves between freelance projects, teaching, client revisions, and late-night creative bursts. She often works alone, but doesn’t want to feel isolated. She is quietly capable, creatively ambitious and allergic to pretence.
Riley is happy to spend more for a cafe experience buys her time, focus and reliability. Features like a charging station, manual timer and a secure space to leave her bag if she goes to the bathroom are just as important as the coffee on offer.
She looks to build community with people like (and not like) her. Without pressure, there are low effort events (craft meet-ups, book clubs, mothers groups) and initiatives (body doubling, unavoidable admin nights) to encourage low stakes connection.
She's on the hunt for a “third place” that supports her rhythm — mornings, afternoons, nights. A variety of zones in the venue helps to facilitate the kind of focus and experience she needs on each specific visit.
Features that empower her to be there late into the night- the coffee experience doesn't drop after 3pm and the space feels like a safe haven (eg. feels secure, there are 'walk to the train station' groups in the early morning).
There is no pretence- she deeply resents spaces that look inviting and inclusive but are in reality exclusionary or have ego.
Brand strategy is how we build, shape and share our brand. It’s the articulation of what our brand is and aspires to be, the purpose it serves, and how you communicate it to the world.
Held, not Hurried.
Safehold is designed for time that doesn’t fit neatly into a window. There are no limits, no cues to move on, and no change in care as the hours pass. The room holds long sits, late nights, unfinished work, and people who need somewhere steady to be. Coffee stays consistent. The pace stays calm. Different rhythms are supported without hierarchy or performance. Nothing here asks you to rush, explain yourself, or earn your place. You’re expected to stay — for as long as you need.
To create a dependable space that holds people steady — unhurried, reliable and safe to stay in.
To operate a calm, reliable coffee house that removes time pressure and supports long stays.
We do this through consistent quality, clear spatial design, and steady service — holding the experience to the same standard, at every hour.
01/ Held, Not HurriedGuests are never rushed, managed, or made to feel temporary. Time pressure is removed by design, not explained away.
02/ Serious Comfort, Lightly StrangeThe space prioritises real comfort first, then layers in subtle curiosity and old-world character. It’s interesting without being overly themed, cosy without being excessively cute.
03/ Ritual Over RoutineCoffee and food are grounding rituals — familiar, repeatable, and comforting — with small variations that reward return. Decision fatigue is reduced, not replaced with novelty.
04/ Coffee With ConvictionExcellent coffee, served with confidence and generosity. No gatekeeping, no jargon, no performance. Quality is consistent, at every hour.
05/ Shelter for Every RhythmThe space visibly supports different ways of being — quiet focus, soft conversation, solo stays — without hierarchy or rules-heavy enforcement. Choice is guided, not policed.
Safehold’s voice is measured, steady, and quietly confident.
It speaks with restraint and clarity, offering reassurance through structure rather than emotion. Nothing is rushed, overstated, or performed — the tone assumes the space has already been prepared.
The voice feels protective without being sentimental, warm without friendliness, and confident without authority.
Inline with the proposed location of the current Pancake Manor site, the creative direction for Safehold was to be vaguely medieval but in a new, innovative and strategy-aligned way.
A place marked by continuity — an endless return, held in balance
The core inspiration for the Safehold visual territory was the idea of repetition and continuity. The 24 hour cafe concept alongside the focus on progress over perfectionism visually imagines the patron returning at a variety of times (for a variety of purposes) in a calm, ever-available cycle. While the brand identity should not be minimal or boring, there should be a note of calm assurance that signals relaibility and care.
In line with my design style, this brand identity is multi-layered, offbeat and all about balance. More detailed elements like the illustrations are counter-balanced by a minimal interior and brand photography style.
This project has been about determining where AI can be used as part of the brand strategy and design process. I've tried to work with it (and trust it) to explore ideas and suggest possible directions that I can then refine. It's strengths are in acting as a second voice and while it's creative outcomes alone are less-then-inspirational, they provide a starting point for coming up with more interesting human tangents.
Throughout the brand strategy and creative direction portions of the project, I found that AI was best at building on already unique and nuanced ideas. Once it understood the brief and unique positioning, it was able to be used to develop content (copy, illustrations, photography and videos) with the harsh feedback of a human who had a specific vision in mind. It was not great at suggesting unique or unexpected outcomes.
For me, AI is a tool to be leveraged as part of the design process- it's not one-stop-shop that can manufacture a complete design outcome.
Unexpectedly, I struggled to create the exact historical references (with a twist) that I initially outlined in my creative strategy. Asking AI to 'create this known thing, but in a completely different way' yielded minimal usable results even after prompt adaptation and large sampling.
Less a challenge, and maybe something I anticipated was how much 'standard brand design' work I still needed to do to have the final outcome. I found AI struggled to bring together meaningful design inspiration for the creative direction phase so I needed to gather this on my own (which to me, is a crucial part of the ideation process). It also produced mixed results in terms of colour and typography recommendations so I needed to experiment and hunt for those references outside of the models. The same goes for logo development and collateral design- refining these outcomes without AI is one of the joys of being a designer and is also where nuance and creativity comes into play. What it WAS great for was acting as a producer- creating photography, icon and illustration elements per the established brief.
As apart of experimentation, a large array of imagery was created and worked on. Here is a selection (some still in progress)—
You can read an expanded version of my thoughts on AI as part of the brand design process (and more) in the blog article below.
Laura is a brand strategist and designer, and the founder of Brisbane-based brand studio Obscurio & Co. where she helps small niche businesses find, capture and celebrate their unique. Laura’s speciality is creating strategic and functional brands with a twist of the unusual and aesthetic.
