Uncover a new sub-brand and identity system built on research-driven thinking, vital concepts, and meaningful design. The Royal Botanic Gardens, founded in 1816, is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the southern hemisphere. However, more than just a beautiful and relaxing place to visit, it is also one of Australia’s leading scientific institutions, conducting vital research into some of the most critical biodiversity challenges facing humanity. Thus, an opportunity and necessity existed to position the Garden as a global leader in science and innovation by educating visitors and emphasising the importance that plant science has in protecting our future. Deriving inspiration from the Garden’s activity in maintaining the rich tradition of botanical illustrations, the new visual strategy is rooted in a thousand-year-old history.

Journey through time and space, through darkness and light, with an illustrated book featuring 10 original ink drawings interweaving a nuanced narrative to articulate a real-world, pressing issue. ‘Bloom’ was a year-long passion project that divulges the evocative story of the Indigenous Mundurukú tribe deep within the Amazon rainforest. They are battling against the Brazilian Government, who are attempting to illegally unearth resources and build a hydroelectric mega-dam on sacred Mundurukú land. Harmonising fact and fiction, each drawing represents a specific excerpt of the overarching story to periodically divulge an allegory that integrates Mundurukú culture and folklore within a parallel mythological realm.