The new design firm in the neighborhood, Ground Up Designers, formally announced their company, and launched their first book, Built & Branded, this past week at LaunchPad.

Ground Up Designers LLC was founded by Lana Zellner [Architectural Designer], Kristen Svorka [Interior Designer], and Tayef Farrar [Multimedia-Graphic Designer].They are a team of three artists and designers from a variety of backgrounds, interests and talents, collaborating to offer design solutions that incorporate architectural, interior, and product design, in addition to print, web and multimedia graphics.

The name Ground Up Designers comes from their interest in working with small business owners looking for design consultation on everything “from the ground up”. Focusing on all aspects that go into designing a successful business, they provide clients with attractive, unique and fully functional spaces, as well as one-of-a-kind, comprehensive brand identities. The independent business owner is their ideal client; someone looking to open a retail store, café, or restaurant who wants one cohesive design package from their logo & website, to their interior design. With the recent boom in business on Franklin Ave, the ladies at Ground Up, have been finding lots to get involved with. They have recently completed Social Media for Kids’ website, as well as the website your reading right now!

Built & Branded is an interactive project conceived from Lana, Kristen and Tayef’s desire to meet new people, introduce themselves to the world, and get to know their new neighborhood. Funded via Kickstarter, by generous neighbors, family, and friends, the overall goal for the project was to showcase the best designed businesses in the five Brooklyn neighborhoods surrounding their studio; Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene and Bed Stuy. The project is comprised of a Book, a Digital Map, and a launch party that brought the contributors and community of neighborhood businesses together. Featured within, the Built & Branded book is About Time Boutique and Franklin Park. The map also includes Bombay Masala and LaunchPad.

Built & Branded Book Spread

Built & Branded Map Layout