The Alto

Our naming process began and ended at the site. As we walked the hillside location, even before the walls went up, we knew the building would open up breathtaking vistas above the tree line. Our naming concepts thus focused on the benefit of sweeping, irreplicable views of downtown and the Ohio River Valley. The Alto rose to the top because it is both simple and thoughtful, feeling high-end yet not too heavy. Alto is derived from the Latin, altus, which simply means high.

The architects and designers would be leaning into clean and contemporary with subtle touches of classicism. Our identity strikes a balance between minimalism and nuance. The airiness of the word mark, with its lightweight typography and simple gestures, reflect the feeling of looking out at an expanse from the comfort of a contemporary living space. The way the “O” is slightly thinner on one side a reference to the rising and setting of the son and moon visible from the epic south-facing site. The Alto’s color palette is meant to be as light as the sunshine pouring through glass, with its creams and grays and subtle terracotta accents.