Branding Grace Kelly’s Retreat: Alden Park
Spanning 38 acres of scenic grounds, Alden Park is a historic apartment community in the Wissahickon neighborhood of Philadelphia – and the former home of Grace Kelly. Paired with a new identity, website, and resident package, $60 million in renovations have turned Alden Park into a resort-class living experience just minutes outside the center of the city.
With such an expansive property, a strong centralized identity was instrumental in creating a more powerful sense of place for those not familiar with the area.
The first of Alden Park’s three buildings, Manor, opened in 1926, and the rest followed suit within the next few years. Designed by Edwin Rorke and developed by Lawrence E. Jones, Alden Park was built in the style of Jacobean and Stuart architecture of 17th century England. The original 30 acres, later enlarged to 38, were formerly the Strawbridge estate – built in 1885 and home of Justus C. Strawbridge, the creator of Strawbridge’s department store.
Many of the Strawbridge estate amenities originally remained during the transition to Alden Park, including the sunken gardens and even the resident gardener himself. Over the years, Alden Park was home to numerous families and long-term residents, especially those of prominent status – such as Richardson Dilworth Jr. and the family of Grace Kelly. In 1980, Alden Park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places in 1981.
As a retreat from the buzz of Center City, Alden Park’s resort-like campus needed a cohesive brand refresh to tell the story of its offerings. From identity design, to signage, wayfinding, and collateral design, Cohere created a brand around the concept of creating a “haven” for residents.
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