Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester
Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester
Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester
Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester
Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester Cha.ology by Alphabet, Manchester

Beyond words

11 : 08 : 2016 Tea House : Post-language Typography : Cha.ology

Manchester – Creative agency Alphabet has developed the branding and spatial design for Japanese tea house Cha.ology.

  • The visual identity references aspects of Japanese interior design
  • The branding is designed to break down language barriers

Cha.ology’s modular logo is inspired by the grid-like tatami flooring found in many traditional rooms in Japan. The word Cha.ology is split in half and placed inside different tatami blocks that can then appear in different combinations.

The menu and other aspects of the branding are also inspired by the intricate grids of tatami flooring. A series of simple, minimal icons describe the process of Japanese tea brewing to customers.

To communicate the tea house’s strict no-shoes policy, Alphabet created a series of illustrated signs that instruct English and Japanese-speaking customers to remove their shoes.

The Big Picture

In the age of Post-language Typography, brands are increasingly using symbols and illustrations rather than the words to communicate with consumers. Read our New Bricolage Living macrotrend to find out more about bilingual environments and new writing systems.

Discover More Daily Signals
Mongolia brings ancient dress systems to the Winter Olympics

Daily Signals

Mongolia brings ancient dress systems to the Winter Olympics

Mongolia has unveiled the ceremonial and casual outfits for its team at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, using the global sporting sta...
Sport : Fashion : Luxury
Foresight Friday: Alison Farrington, foresight content manager

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Alison Farrington, foresight content manager

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues and ideas we’re all talking about. This week, foresight content manager Alison ...
China : Lunar New Year : Foresight Friday
Stat: Gen Z switches off the news feed

Daily Signals

Stat: Gen Z switches off the news feed

New research from Adobe Express points to a shift in how information is accessed in the UK. Just 8% of Gen Z adults consume news content, according...
Media : Technology : Statistic
Can mixed-reality theatre re-invent the stage?

Daily Signals

Can mixed-reality theatre re-invent the stage?

An Ark, a mixed-reality theatre experience at The Shed in New York, is exploring how digital technology can transform live performance while preser...
Immersive Theatre : Media : Entertainment
Prada excavates the past to shape menswear’s future

Daily Signals

Prada excavates the past to shape menswear’s future

Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada’s autumn/winter 2026 menswear collection presented at Fondazione Prada in Milan, Italy, was an exercise in layered arc...
Fashion : Luxury : Society
Stat: Youth employment anxiety rises as AI threatens entry-level roles

Daily Signals

Stat: Youth employment anxiety rises as AI threatens entry-level roles

A growing majority of young people in the UK are entering work with deep anxiety about their career prospects, according to new research from the K...
Workplace : Society : Statistic
Will.i.am launches Trinity EV as AI-first solution for urban mobility

Daily Signals

Will.i.am launches Trinity EV as AI-first solution for urban mobility

Musician and entrepreneur Will.i.am has launched Trinity, a single-passenger, three-wheeled electric vehicle (EV) that is designed around an AI agent.
Mobility : Technology : Sustainability
Gap creates chief entertainment officer role to drive fashiontainment

Daily Signals

Gap creates chief entertainment officer role to drive fashiontainment

Gap Inc has appointed Pam Kaufman as its first-ever chief entertainment officer, a newly created role designed to develop a ‘fashiontainment’ platf...
Fashion : Entertainment : Media
Stat: Nearly a third of children starting school are struggling with basic analogue skills

Daily Signals

Stat: Nearly a third of children starting school are struggling with basic analogue skills

Nearly a third of children starting reception in England and Wales are struggling with basic analogue skills, revealing a widening gap between home...
Screen Time : Technology : Child Development
How building Bishoftu Airport positions Ethiopia as African travel epicentre

Daily Signals

How building Bishoftu Airport positions Ethiopia as African travel epicentre

Ethiopia has broken ground at Bishoftu International Airport, a new mega-hub designed by Zaha Hadid Architects that aims to become the largest avia...
Travel : Infrastructure : Airport
You have 1 free Daily Signals remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN