While studying abroad in Florence, Italy, I was struck by a contradiction in my life. While I wanted to be the type of person to send letters or postcards to my friends at home, I hadn't managed to send a single one. Stacks of postcards from various museums accumulated in my apartment, but they never managed to get to the mailbox. 

This is partly due the mystery that is the Italian post system. It's famously unreliable, subject to month-long delays as well as light-fingered postal workers. Working with a language barrier, it is also difficult to interpret where to acquire postage, what type of postage you'll be needing and where to drop off your letters. My failure to send out mail cannot be entirely blamed on the mail system however. I lead as busy a life as any student, and the speed of more modern methods of communication usually outweighs my sentimental attachment to physical mail.

I wanted to create a solution to the difficulty of navigating a foreign postal system that would simultaneously encourage users to slow down and take a moment to reach out to friends and family in this old-fashioned yet personal way. I developed the concept of The Courier Cafe, a cozy spot where visitors can pick out stationery from local artists, purchase postage, drop their letters off for mailing, all while sipping a hot drink or grabbing a snack. The menu seeks to simplify the confusion of the postage system, integrating stationary and postage options with the food and beverage selection of the cafe. 

Picturing this cafe in train stations and airports in popular travel destinations around the globe, I wanted to target young travelers that might be drawn to the feeling of authenticity and connection produced by letter-writing. My design choices reflect a balance between the nostalgia of the past and an appeal to newer users. Classic color combinations referencing the American postage system balance charming, clean forms and rounded edges, while the typographic system enforces the contrast between vintage and contemporary styles.

The Italian mail system is well-known for disappearing items.  My research led me to stories of opened cards, stolen items and even a singular chocolate disappearing from a Valentine's Day package. Users are advised to use as plain of packaging as possible to avoid having their mail opened and potentially taken. To protect customers' mail, I designed an envelope that is completely plain on the outside, but contains the brand's recognizable patterning inside, which serves to advertise the brand to the recipient as well as the mailer. 

One of the biggest difficulties for the modern letter-writer is not knowing what to write. Cardboard sleeves for the coffee cups provide suggestions or ideas that can help customers get started. 

PROCESS