Hotel 21st

Team: Callan O’Connor
Hotel Brand + Identity
2025

Hotel 21st is a speakeasy-inspired boutique hotel in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, named after the 21st Amendment that ended Prohibition. With minimal signage and hidden entrances, guests must be "in the know" to find it. We combined Prohibition-era design with Washington elements to create the brand identity and a publication on Seattle’s Prohibition history.

Native to Washington, the Nootka rose’s thorns represent the risk of speakeasy culture during Prohibition. It is a symbol of resilience and adaptability, like the speakeasy culture that thrived in secrecy and defied the law. Romantic at first glance, but with something sharper underneath.

These illustrations reflect Seattle’s quieter character. The octopus, known for its ability to camouflage and dwell beneath the surface, reflects the hidden networks of smuggling and the layered secrecy of speakeasies during Prohibition. The oyster suggests secrecy in plain sight closed to most, but holding something valuable within, and the wild Nootka rose, delicate but resilient, rewards those who look closely.