The Glass Garden (Student Project)

Designed by Amanda Guarini, United States.

The goal of my student senior project was to build, conceptualize and establish from the ground up a hypothetical company. I wanted this company to reflect the products we produce and sell: unique geometric shapes, patterns, and lines found in succulents and air plants (tillandsias) along with generous negative space mimicking the open, airy quality of terrariums.

“The Glass Garden is a small shoppe located in Buckhead, Atlanta that handmakes unique glass terrariums. The atmosphere of our company is modern and simple, using shapes and lines derived for our instore succulents and airplants. Frank Lloyd Wright has been a huge influnce on us as well with his pioneering of glass soldering and geometric design.”

Geometric plant packaging:
“The idea behind these lightweight rhombic dodecahedrons was to create something for our customer that is interesting and unique like our terrariums, that would also keep their new items safe from the store to the car and from the car to home. I wanted to use a frosted material to reiterate the “glass” garden while not being too literal, as well as a package with a purpose/afterlife that could contain the plants for as long as necessary (light and air is made accessible for the plants through a folded door) before they make it to their permanent terrarium home. All plant packages include the type of plant, the variety name, a reference image on the top, short description of the plant on the back and comes with a five page booklet on the back explaining in detail more plant information for your terrariums.”

Boxed terrarium packaging:
“For the terrarium packaging, I wanted something simple and elegant that would set the stage to enhance the beauty of the handmade nature of the terrariums themselves. I also wanted the customer’s experience to be kept in mind, similar to Apple’s packaging, so the lid intersects the terrarium’s photo right where the pentagonal door hinge opens, while also revealing only the top half of the vessel once the lid is removed. Included in the box is a keepsake information card with the name of the specific terrarium, how it was handmade as well as its dimensions. The card also doubles as a stabilizer so the terrarium will not move and topple while in transit.”

Mister:
“The plant mister for succulents and air plants is an important item in terrarium maintenance. The only thing truly detrimental to their upkeep is over watering since there is no drainage. ”