Brandon Garden Connection App
UX/UI Design
Organization: Brandon Garden Connection (University of Toronto project)
My role: Lead designer (concept, visual identity design)
Audience: Staff, physicians, learners, partners
Project Overview
Designed comprehensive visual identity and communications materials for the Brandon Garden Connection initiative — a project connecting people with the Brandon Garden community space. The goal was to create a cohesive and welcoming functional design for the app.
Challenge
The initiative needed a brand expression that felt both professional and approachable — something that could resonate with diverse audiences. Previous visuals lacked consistency, and there was a need for a unified system that communicated connection, growth, and accessibility. My goal was to design an engaging platform that helped to foster a sense of community collaboration, organize accessible food information in one place, and provide a booking tool for community garden plots.
My Role & Responsibilities
Led visual identity design — logo concepts, typography, and colour system
Collaborated with internal stakeholders to align messaging
Designed with accessibility in mind (clear hierarchy, readable type, inclusive color contrast)
Design Process
Discovery + audience understanding
Gathered background information on the Brandon Garden project and met with stakeholders to clarify goals, audiences, and desired tone.
Concept exploration
I developed several visual directions that expressed themes of connection, growth, and community.
Refinement with feedback
After stakeholder review sessions, I refined the direction — updating layouts, tweaking styles, and confirming typographic systems.
Final deliverables
Delivered a suite of concepts that could be used beyond the app design, with clear guidelines for future use.
Outcome & Impact
Designed a platform that facilitates the connection between Brandon’s gardeners and the city’s community gardens
Platform includes a request process for booking community garden plots, with the goal of promoting healthy and sustainable food practices, while fostering a sense of community in Brandon
Created a unified look and feel that helped reinforce the project’s goals
Provided flexibility in the toolkit so future iterations can be adapted easily
Reflection
This project further developed my ability to balance brand strategy and execution. I learned how to design for emotional connection while maintaining clarity and consistency — a skill that’s key in senior designer roles where both aesthetics and purpose must be aligned.