El Merequetengue
El Merequetengue
El Merequetengue is a collective of Latin American landscape architects working collaboratively to share ideas, information, and hope. The name itself El Merequetengue”, is a colloquial term used in parts of Latin America to describe a mess, fuss, hustle, or a situation that is chaotic or out of control and filled with confusion. It captures the collective’s energy of parts of a whole, and being a managed, non-formal network, operating on the basis of enthusiasm and belief in change.
The visual identity draws inspiration from this sense of vibrancy and collaboration, blending cultural expressiveness with contemporary design. The branding system’s primary mark functions as an adaptable asset. Its square-shaped letter forms and tight counters mimic the visual language of Mexican architects like Ricardo Legorreta and Roberto Burle Marx, and the logotype is built to expand and fill available space. It pronounces boldly “We hold space!” while being able to adapt and grow with the brand’s needs.
The secondary lockup uses existing assets, such as the Monstera leaf and chameleon, and reinterprets them as a single hybrid pictogram inspired by traditional Mexican Alebrije. The mascot combines traditional craft and modern creativity, reinforcing the network’s emphasis on the value of its identity.
The colorway also takes heavy cues from the works of Mexican architects, as well as textiles and crafts endemic to the continent. The brand colorway utilizes closely related warm hues and cool accents to evoke the richness, warmth, and activism of the Latinx cultural fabric.
The typography uses a customized variation of Novecento, an open source typeface available via Adobe Fonts. The customized rounded corners of the typeface help achieve a subtle “hand-drawn” effect, referencing authentic small-business signage common throughout many Latin-American communities.
A modular El Tejer pattern, inspired by Latin American textile traditions, becomes a flexible visual pattern system. The 2-tone pattern can be layered and mixed to create numerous variations for print, digital, and environmental applications.
El Merequetengue
El Merequetengue
Branding
Identity Design
Poster & Merch Design
2025
El Merequetengue is a collective of Latin American landscape architects working collaboratively to share ideas, information, and hope. The name itself El Merequetengue”, is a colloquial term used in parts of Latin America to describe a mess, fuss, hustle, or a situation that is chaotic or out of control and filled with confusion. It captures the collective’s energy of parts of a whole, and being a managed, non-formal network, operating on the basis of enthusiasm and belief in change.
The visual identity draws inspiration from this sense of vibrancy and collaboration, blending cultural expressiveness with contemporary design. The branding system’s primary mark functions as an adaptable asset. Its square-shaped letter forms and tight counters mimic the visual language of Mexican architects like Ricardo Legorreta and Roberto Burle Marx, and the logotype is built to expand and fill available space. It pronounces boldly “We hold space!” while being able to adapt and grow with the brand’s needs.
The secondary lockup uses existing assets, such as the Monstera leaf and chameleon, and reinterprets them as a single hybrid pictogram inspired by traditional Mexican Alebrije. The mascot combines traditional craft and modern creativity, reinforcing the network’s emphasis on the value of its identity.
The colorway also takes heavy cues from the works of Mexican architects, as well as textiles and crafts endemic to the continent. The brand colorway utilizes closely related warm hues and cool accents to evoke the richness, warmth, and activism of the Latinx cultural fabric.
The typography uses a customized variation of Novecento, an open source typeface available via Adobe Fonts. The customized rounded corners of the typeface help achieve a subtle “hand-drawn” effect, referencing authentic small-business signage common throughout many Latin-American communities.
A modular El Tejer pattern, inspired by Latin American textile traditions, becomes a flexible visual pattern system. The 2-tone pattern can be layered and mixed to create numerous variations for print, digital, and environmental applications.
