Huanghelou: A Colorful Tribute to Wuhan's Urban Culture

Beer Packaging that Showcases the Charm of the City

Wuhan, a bustling metropolis in central China, is known for its rich history and diverse culture. To capture the essence of this vibrant city, designer Jin Zhang has created Huanghelou, a unique beer packaging that celebrates Wuhan's urban culture and landmarks.

The Huanghelou beer packaging is a visual representation of Wuhan's three towns, divided by the Yangtze River and the Han River. Each town has its own distinct characteristics and cultural heritage. By excavating and showcasing the most representative elements of each town, Huanghelou creates a cityscape that includes iconic buildings, bridges, people, ships, and flowers.

What sets Huanghelou apart is its ability to connect with consumers in a relaxed and pleasant way. The beer packaging serves as a gateway to the city, allowing both Wuhan residents and visitors to experience the city's rich and colorful urban culture and characteristics. With two series of products, the packaging showcases the city's prosperity from day to night, with green representing vitality and health, and mysterious purple symbolizing the allure of the night.

While the goal was to create a colorful city image, the designer also had to consider production costs and landing effects. To achieve this, the Huanghelou beer packaging uses a limited color palette, effectively describing a vibrant and lively design without compromising on production feasibility.

The specifications of the Huanghelou beer packaging are as follows: Width 65mm x Depth 65mm x Height 115mm. This compact size ensures convenience for consumers while maintaining the integrity of the design.

Through extensive research and exploration, Jin Zhang delved into Wuhan's history, cultural characteristics, and future development. Having lived and worked in the city for over a decade, the designer had a deep understanding and appreciation for Wuhan's unique identity. This project required a multidimensional approach, carefully selecting and integrating the most representative elements of the city to create a cohesive and visually captivating design.

The Huanghelou beer packaging project commenced in April 2022 and was completed in September 2022, entirely in Wuhan, China. The product is expected to be available for sale in Hubei, China, starting from April 2023.

It is important to note that the intellectual property and copyrights for the Huanghelou beer packaging belong to the Yellow Crane Tower, the most famous landmark building in Wuhan. This collaboration between the Yellow Crane Tower and designer Jin Zhang has resulted in a remarkable design that not only showcases the city's image but also promotes Wuhan to a wider audience through a daily consumer product.

The Huanghelou beer packaging has received recognition for its outstanding design. It was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Packaging Design category in 2023. This prestigious award acknowledges designs that demonstrate creativity, resourcefulness, and a commitment to improving the quality of life. Huanghelou's incorporation of art, science, design, and technology has made it a true testament to the ingenuity and innovation of Wuhan's urban culture.