Vila Rio SAL
Client.
Teixeira Duarte
Creating new products & services.
Branding.
Communication Strategy.
Visual Identity.
Real Estate.
On the first line of the River Tagus, Vila Rio flows as the natural extension of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
Born was challenged to review the positioning of the Vila Rio brand and develop the strategy, visual identity, brand signature, and communication pieces for the third phase, which marks a turning point for the neighbourhood — from local affirmation to metropolitan ambition.
Context.
Vila Rio is a Teixeira Duarte project located on a riverside front, undergoing urban transformation in Póvoa de Santa Iria. It occupies almost 20 hectares, with more than 800 flats, 40 shops, 100,000 m² of green spaces, 15 km of cycle paths and walkways, and a direct pedestrian and rail link to Lisbon.
After establishing itself as a benchmark in the local market with a high-quality housing proposal and strong uptake, Vila Rio now aspires to become a real alternative for those looking for a home in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and an established lifestyle destination.
With four buildings designed by Rodrigo Machado Soares' studio, it offers contemporary lines, ceramic façades inspired by Portuguese tiles, and a direct connection to the Tagus River and the surrounding urban park. The typologies range from one to four bedrooms, with areas between 110 m² and 220 m². Galeria do Rio, a new shopping and services area integrated into Praça do Sal, also marks the start of urban life in the neighbourhood.
The third phase reflects
this leap in ambition.
Challenge
To broaden the target audience, a strategic leap was needed: to elevate the value proposition and construct a narrative capable of capturing the attention of a more comprehensive and demanding target audience.
Communication needed to open up to a wider range of targets, extending the sales call to action not only to local residents, but to the entire Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
Insight.
The immersion phase included visits to Póvoa de Santa Iria, interviews with architects, the project team, and buyers from the first phases, and market research. We realised that the project had clear, differentiating assets: the River Tagus as part of everyday identity, Teixeira Duarte as a destination builder with over 100 years of experience. — and a track record that includes projects such as Garridas 1867, Lagoas Park, and Fábrica 1921 — and the introduction of Kori, a new concept of more affordable homes.
The unique location enabled us to establish Vila Rio as the best home-river relationship on the Lisbon waterfront, offering a one-stop living concept that combines housing, mobility, and everyday life (shops and services) for a true neighbourhood experience.
Concept and brand expression.
To reinforce the value proposition – the best riverfront location in Lisbon – we created the brand signature “Where the Tagus is home”, making the river accessible to everyone.
We refreshed Vila Rio's identity to make it more vibrant and contemporary, maintaining its connection with nature while aligning with the expectations of a more sophisticated and demanding audience. We took the Tagus as a central part of the identity – it is not just Lisbon's, there is much more to discover – and the visual system was designed to reflect this metropolitan openness, positioning Vila Rio as a credible alternative in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
We called this second phase Vila Rio SAL - Sharing and Living, as a way of paying homage to the region's salt pans and involving Praça do Sal, which will be the neighbourhood's centre for commerce and services.
The communication was structured in two stages: reinforcing Vila Rio's positioning as a destination and specifically communicating the second phase of the project, ensuring breadth and relevance to a wider audience.
