826 Tucson: Jardin Estrella

CHANNELS Branding - Typography - UI/UX - Motion Design - Poster Design - System Design

PROJECT BRIEF:

Create a fictional 826 store brand identity in a new city pulling from the essence of the area. In this project it was Tucson, Arizona.

WHAT IS 826?:
You may be wondering, "what the hell is 826??" 826 National is a non-profit organization that supports students with their literacy and writing skills. Each store is a false front for the centers and they are themed to represent the city in which they are located.

MY TAKE:

Jardin Estrella is located in the city of Tucson, Arizona. It is inspired by the dark sky ordinance the city has put into place, and represents the city’s commitment to the preservation of its sky and of Arizona’s diverse plant life. The store provides its visitors with everything they need to grow their own star in their backyard. The word mark mimics a constellation like form and is modular to fit different contexts. The colors I landed on come from the bright vibrant sky of Arizona both during the day and at night. The brands motion identity is subtle. Like a shooting star cascading across the night sky. Considering the inspiration for the theme of the brand, 826 Tucson partnered with the Tucson Botanical Gardens to host a story book trail. This set of posters really focus on typography and can work effectively on their own, or side by side.

Brand Assets:

Event Posters:

Merchandise:

PROCESS:

SOFTWARE:
Illustrator
Photoshop
After Effects

Research & Sketching:

My process started with researching Tucson, AZ and the 826 national brand. From the information gathered, one thing really stood out to me. Tucson, AZ is a dark sky city. A dark sky city is a city that is committed to preserving its night sky through responsible outdoor lighting policies, lessening the light pollution. The entire city is committed to preserving their sky, this got me thinking about other types environmental preservation. The state of Arizona has very diverse plant life, and one of Tucson's most popular attractions is it's botanical gardens. With acknowledging Tucson's significant Spanish history, 826 Jardin Estrella was born.

Iteration & Design:

I then moved into the iteration process where workshopped the brand language, as well as sketching some initial ideas for word marks. Once I reached a solid concept, I designed the different brand assets. Then I began production on designing the merchandise ranging from the typical items to products of my own creation like the Galactic Gardening Kit. This took many iterations before I got everything perfect, but in the end I landed on designs that I am proud of. It’s good to be patient when designing. Sometimes the best outcomes take time.