We were invited to redesign the Botanica visual identity from the ground up and transform the retail store into a cohesive brand encompassing an open and guided shopping experience. They also needed to develop a packaging system to accommodate a variety of flower brands from across the state and their own organic and pesticide-free strains. We were also tasked with creating environmental programming and their dynamic fulfillment system for online orders and in-store purchasing, which supported hand-written labels and state-regulated exit bags.
At the start of the design process, we were inspired by the contrast between the lush world of Botanica and the dry high desert of Arizona, as well as the store's location near the edge of town. These unique conditions positioned the store as a faraway destination, a relaxing escape filled with abundant one-of-a-kind, quality cannabis goods.
To express the idea of discovery and sanctuary in the desert, we embraced the visual forms of the mirage. The mirage is what you hope to find in the desert; the lush oasis, the dreamy pool, the comfortable shade, the quiet hammock under the palms. Botanica is both the mirage and the oasis—the dream and the destination.
Through this lens, the world of Botanica took shape with reeded glass, lush plants, and modular display cases. Beautiful distortion, shimmering light, and organic forms hint at a lush world within while reinforcing the transformative powers of cannabis. The center of the store interior wall features a gridded display wall to showcase flower strains, with customizable strain cards helping to identify the functional effects and test results.
The brand marks also took on the distortion, employing open calligraphic allow a blend of the foreground and background to form an optical illusion. The brand icon represents the shining sun on the horizon line, creating a rhythmic pattern of geometric, sharpened portions.
An important component of the project was the packaging, consisting of exit bags and the flower containers, which served the standard flower and their own unique strains. Since the cannabis industry over relies on single-use plastic, we were inspired to pursue sustainable bag design in an effort to create a new standard and increase the circulation and supply chain of plant-based materials in our industry.