Phipps Rebrand
This project involves creating a comprehensive and flexible branding system for a real arts- or culture-focused organization. The identity should reflect the organization’s mission and values while connecting with its audience through a cohesive visual system of logos, typography, color, imagery, patterns, and motion. The goal is to develop a consistent yet adaptable brand that works across physical and digital platforms and strengthens the organization’s cultural presence.
Concept
Phipps is Pittsburgh’s first botanical garden, gifted by Henry Phipps in 1893. Since then, it has been a cultivating center for Pittsburgh families. I believe the history and community of Phipps is underrepresented in their current branding. The representation of Phipps Conservatory should
not be viewed from the outside, so I started researching the inside. The Broderie Room is a section of Phipps that has a permanent garden known as the Parterre Garden. This translates to “embroidery of the earth”. I wanted to relate fractals to the meaning of the translation, "embroidery of the earth”, while still using the same shape language of the actual garden. Fractals are recurring shapes and equations that repeat themselves at different scales. Fractals can be found in nature: pinecones, snowflakes, succulents, leaf veins, etc. Fractals can get complicated fast, but simplicity was my goal.
I had to design something that is scalable but suggestive of a complex meaning while also
using the Broderie Garden’s shape language.
