Alazaat Design ◆ HandCrafted Arabian Designs - Elmuhtaseb Bookshop

Elmuhtaseb Bookshop

مكتبة المحتسب

For the second project we approached a bookshop in Downtown Amman. El Muhtaseb is a business with a sixty-year history and an established reputation. The shop is a local landmark – it has developed with Amman and the local community. Inside, there is something for everyone, and the previous signage had a strong aesthetic with a vintage flavour.

We wanted to work with the existing facade, to incorporate the old-style shop front into the new design. So elements were blended with some new ideas to create a strong typeface and logo. The bright red shop front remains, with black outlines used to enhance the design. A simple signage highlights the books on display instead of competing with them. The process was intricate – taking five months to complete, and incorporating designs for the internal signage and branded business equipment. There is also a new silhouette on the shop shutter – featuring the owner himself and his love of fishing - both for books and other animals.