Some projects begin with a logo. This one began with a question: How do you transform a mixed-use development into a place people long to belong?

Working alongside Clockwork Architecture + Design, I helped shape the story behind a proposed development at 1650 Broadway in Kansas City, Mo. More than naming the project, my role was to uncover an identity that could unite architecture, neighborhood, and experience into a single idea.

The resulting concept—Allé—borrowed its name from the French word suggesting movement, passage, and gathering while subtly echoing the project’s address. Positioned between the Crossroads Arts District and the historic Westside, the development wasn’t simply adjacent to two remarkable neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods became the development’s greatest amenity. The story, identity, and presentation were built around that conviction.

The name, logo, messaging, and proposal worked together to present more than a building. They presented a way of living—one rooted in connection, creativity, and the character of place.