The 2025 HD Awards Project Winners

VISUAL IDENTITY
855-Aloha, Waikiki, Hawaii

Delicate pink and white blooms flourish against a background of royal blue on the sides of defunct, yet still rampant, Hawaiian Telcom payphone booths. Stickers promoting 1-855-ALOHA-00—once used to reach an operator—prompted the name of the izakaya at Romer House Waikiki. Local illustrator Solario recreated retro phone book ads, while large-scale photographs that are an ode to the coin-operated payphone come courtesy of Joe Rovegno. The visual identity follows suit. “We were inspired by the graphic impact and nostalgia of some of Hawaii’s disappearing iconic phone booths. The restaurant branding became an opportunity to preserve their stories and imagery,” says Callie Peck, creative director of the Studio at Highgate. The menu’s layout and topography nod to the 1987 Oahu Yellow Pages, checks are accompanied by chocolate quarters, and staff wear embroidered “Call Me” chef coats and server shirts that match the cocktail napkins emblazoned with the same directive. “Our goal was to capture the electric energy and analog connections of a time when payphones, calling cards, and the Yellow Pages were central to daily life,” adds Peck, “a moment that’s been lost to, but often craved by, the smartphone generation.”

Architecture Firm: Benjamin Woo Architects, Honolulu | Interior Design Firm: Indidesign, Los Angeles | Branding Firm: The Studio at Highgate, New York | Owner and Operator: Highgate Hotels | Purchasing Firm: Summa International