In their own words
Without that structural floor, the whole thing would collapse into noise.
If everything had personality, nothing would stand out.
We treated the gap as a principle rather than a graphic device.
Perfect teeth are overrated. And so is perfect soda.
Early explorations touched familiar territory for the category, with names rooted in care, comfort, home and play.
We tested it early across signage, packaging and digital contexts to ensure it felt confident at scale, legible from a distance, and flexible in motion.
The West Village is defined less by landmarks and more by participation – people showing up, being creative, supporting local businesses and sharing public space.
Slightly irregular curves, generous weight and a sense of pressure in the shapes give the wordmark a tactile quality. It feels human, lived-in and expressive.
The typography and layouts are intentionally a little off-balance, with shifts in scale and alignment that echo the way the streets move and intersect.
Dating apps often over-index on softness or friendliness, which can end up feeling vague or noncommittal.
Articles & interviews
- Saint-Urbain builds Gap Tooth Soda around imperfection as a principle
Saint-Urbain developed the brand identity for Toronto-based Gap Tooth Soda, a botanical beverage brand founded by Owen Walker and inspired by the idea of imperfection. The studio created a hand-drawn, character-driven system with a custom wordmark and restrained color palette, balancing expressive illustration with structural consistency. The design celebrates imperfection as a principle rather than a gimmick, extending across packaging, motion, and campaigns.
- Saint-Urbain rebrands Digs Dog Care with hospitality-style system
Saint-Urbain rebranded Digs Dog Care, formerly Better Than Home, into a hospitality-inspired national brand system. The rebrand unifies diverse local operators under a cohesive identity featuring a custom abstract dog icon, bold color palette, and modular shape system. The design balances professionalism and warmth, supporting scalability across packaging, signage, and digital platforms.
- Saint-Urbain frames the West Village as something you do, not visit
Saint-Urbain developed a conceptual brand identity for the West Village Partnership, reimagining the neighbourhood as an active verb rather than a static place. Drawing from local typography, community participation, and the area’s irregular geometry, the identity uses tactile type, vibrant colours, and documentary photography to reflect the spirit of collective life. The project spans strategy, design, copywriting, motion, and 3D concepts, positioning the West Village as a living, participatory environment.