The UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden has officially launched its new identity which can be seen proudly displayed throughout the gardens. The work was created in partnership with New York-based branding agency, Little Big Brands (LBB).

The entire brand was reconsidered including the name, evolving from The Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden to the UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden, which is more memorable and at the same time better aligns with the university. The work encompasses the brand’s visual language, including logo, color, and typography. It has been brought to life through new signage throughout the garden, a new web site, brand assets, and educational and collateral materials.

The bespoke identity is inspired by the Clarkia flower, which is native and endemic to California and flourish throughout the garden. Each petal represents one of the most iconic and unique Clarkia species. These petals then come together to form another blossoming flower within the negative space. The colors are taken from the saturated pinks and purples that abound within the Clarkia genus.

“The new visual identity system brings the garden alive. It evokes a sense of education, exploration and wonder, just like the garden itself,” said Richard Palmer, Executive Creative Director, Little Big Brands. “The Clarkia petals are used uniformly across touchpoints and also assist with wayfinding in the garden. They are accompanied with clean, modern typography that works synergistically with the UCLA parent brand.”

“It has been such a pleasure to work with the team at LBB. From the beginning, they were passionate and appreciative of the essence of the Garden. Their vision helped bring our unique space and rich history to life in a modern and approachable new way. We’re thrilled with the result, and have already received so much great, positive feedback. We can’t wait to share it with a broader audience,” said Victoria Sork, UCLA Dean of Life Sciences and Director of the Mathias Botanical Garden.

The Garden is named for Mildred Mathias, a prominent botanist, professor, conservationist and Garden director from 1956 to 1974. It first opened in 1929 and features more than 1,500 species of plants and trees from around the world. It is free to the public and one of the few public gardens in Los Angeles County. Its collections are designed to assist the teaching and research missions at UCLA while creating a tranquil environment within the urban surroundings.

For More Information on the UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden, https://www.botgard.ucla.edu.

Little Big Brands is an independent, award-winning strategic branding firm. We blend logic and magic to bring new innovations to the world, and re-invent existing brands through brand strategy, design, packaging and advertising, www.littlebigbrands.com.