Baalcão
SOCIAL DESIGN | BRANDING
BAALCAO is a social design project created to address food desertification in Bairro 2 de Maio, Lisbon. The project begins with the collection and sharing of residents’ food memories and traditions, transforming them into healthy, accessible and flavourful meals. Fresh, seasonal ingredients — whenever possible grown locally by the community — become a way of reconnecting people with food, territory and one another. Developed together with residents of the neighbourhood, the brand is rooted in the values of handmade production, memory, sharing, tradition and local produce.
The visual identity translates the brand values into a warm and tactile graphic language. The custom logotype takes inspiration from the irregular geometry of Portuguese calçada, using simple modular shapes, consistent spacing and varied angles to evoke its distinctive rhythm while reflecting the idea of community through interconnected forms. The slogan “Comida da Avó” places family, tradition and handmade preparation at the heart of the brand. Hand-drawn illustrations and lettering further reinforce the artisanal character of BAALCAO, creating a visual identity that feels personal, imperfect and human — much like the food memories that inspired it.
The BAALCAO website was developed with a mobile-first approach, designed to introduce the project, communicate its purpose and make the experience of ordering and paying for meals simple and accessible. The digital platform extends the brand beyond the physical point of sale, creating a direct and intuitive connection between the community and the project.
Alongside the food ordering experience, a dedicated online shop was created to sell BAALCAO merchandise. The shop expands the brand’s presence into new touchpoints while creating an additional source of revenue for the project. More than a commercial extension, it allows the values and visual identity of BAALCAO to exist beyond its meals, turning the brand into something that can be carried, shared and experienced in different ways.
