Gardens of Golden Gate Park
Three iconic gardens, one remarkable experience
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park — known as one of the country’s greatest urban parks -- has been an oasis in the heart of the city since 1870. Each year, more than one million of the park's visitors discover a tropical paradise of rare plants in the Conservatory of Flowers, find tranquility in the historic Japanese Tea Garden, and travel the world of plants in the SF Botanical Garden.
Last year, these three renowned gardens were united under a new partnership model by the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society and the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department. The new entity, Gardens of Golden Gate Park, aims to become a world-leading cultural and conservation institution — helping people grow more connected to plants, the planet, and each other.
Office worked closely with the team behind Gardens of Golden Gate Park (The Gardens) to develop the organization's brand strategy, visual brand architecture, identity system, website, branded merchandise, signage, key communications and brand guidelines.
Throughout the immersion phase, we heard from stakeholders (and experienced first-hand) that a walk through The Gardens is full of small surprises that spark joy and wonder. In developing the design language, we tried to evoke a similar response. This meant leaving room for expressiveness and artfulness in the system, and pushing past expected solutions to infuse a sense of delight and thoughtfulness in communications.
Overall, the visual system is elevated to match the high-quality experience of visiting The Gardens, while still feeling wholly approachable and supporting the organization’s intent to be a welcoming place for all.
The bold, simple design elements are rooted in classic forms and typefaces to create a modern, yet timeless feel — reflecting the iconic nature of The Gardens. The vibrant extended color palette represents the colors of The Gardens through the seasons.
In designing the website, we featured the overall story of Gardens of Golden Gate Park, while still allowing space for each individual garden to shine. It was an opportunity to create a more intuitive user experience, as well as streamline content and amplify revenue opportunities.
Together, the brand strategy, visual identity and communications reinforce the organization’s mission and further establish Gardens of Golden Gate Park as an iconic, world-class destination.
