New Swedish restaurant plays on superstition with “morbid” brand design

Snask has designed the branding and interiors for a new restaurant in Sweden, which plays on superstition surrounding the number 13.

Bord 13 – which means “Table 13” in Swedish – is a new restaurant and wine bar serving Nordic food.

It was founded by the former sous-chef of Denmark-based two-Michelin star restaurant Noma, which also specialises in Nordic food.

The consultancy says it played on “dark, morbid” imagery to create the design, which relates to fear of the number 13 as unlucky, otherwise known as “triskaidekaphobia”.

The restaurant’s name also refers to the superstition in that it can be considered bad luck to have 13 people seated at a table, or to sit at table number 13, which has Biblical and Norse legend basis.

Snask designed the visual identity in black and white to emphasise this “dark side” and to “hero” the number 13, says creative director, Fredrik Öst.

The consultancy also commissioned illustrator Emilie Florin to create “experimental and morbid illustrations” for the concept.

Ost says that the branding contrasts with the interiors, which are lighter and represent Nordic culture.

The branding has been rolled out across menus, packaging, store signage, uniform and marketing collateral.

All photos © Gustav Arnetz