Qinglan Lodge

01Background

Qinglan Shanju is a nine-room guesthouse halfway up Moganshan, converted from an old farmhouse. The owner wanted the brand to be like mountain mist: light and soft, yet something guests remember long after they leave.

02My role

I designed the identity (logo, wordmark, colour), the sign at the gate and the interior wayfinding, plus room materials and stationery. I also worked with the carpenters on the wooden sign.

03Process

1. 1

   Three lines for hills and mist

   The mark is three wavy lines of different lengths, with the top one broken, as if mist cuts the ridge in two. I worked backward from the chisel width on the sign so the carver could actually cut it.

2. 2

   Colours taken from the hillside

   The main colour is the deep green of a bamboo grove in the rain, and the secondary is a grey-green of foggy mornings. Contrast colours are almost absent, so the whole thing looks like it grew out of the site.

3. 3

   Testing the sign on site

   We hung three physical samples of the sign at the gate for a week. The size we chose reads clearly in both morning and evening light without competing with the view.

04Result

The lodge reopened in April 2024 and has held occupancy above 80 percent through peak season. The owner says many guests found them on social media after seeing photos of the gate sign.