VAZ HOUSE CAFE
Description
Vaz House Cafe is a jazz-inspired Caribbean specialty coffee bar and curated events space on the Cheney Rail Trail in Manchester, CT. I was hired to create an identity that reflected a place to slow down, connect, and linger over something exceptional.
My Role
Brand Identity, Creative Direction, Social Design, & Packaging Design
Location
Spring 2026 - Manchester, CT
Maria and Carlos Rivera are a design-conscious couple in their 40s who decided to honor their grandmothers' legacy by creating something meaningful in the community. Both of their abuelas emigrated from Oaxaca in the 1960s, bringing with them rich traditions of textile work, pottery, and cooking that shaped the family's identity.
The Challenge: How do you celebrate a rich cultural heritage without turning it into decoration? How do you create a brand that feels rooted in tradition but speaks fluently to modern sensibilities? Skycrest needed to feel elevated and contemporary with clean architecture and thoughtful spaces but it also needed soul.
