Golden Coast Refuge
A Branding Concept for a California Fire Relief Non-Profit
Brand Design
Overview
Project
Across two design courses, I designed a non-profit concept end-to-end, building a brand identity into a user-centered interior space concept. This non-profit supports rehabilitation facilities for displaced residents after a natural disaster.
Question
How can I effectively translate user needs from a digital to a physical space?
Impact
Project was selected for Tulane Design Showcase Award 🏆
Brand Identity
User Needs
Natural disaster relief became personal to me during the 2025 Palisades Fires. In response, I created Golden Coast Refuge, a nonprofit connecting local housing resources and offering an optimistic step forward.
Brand Identity
GCR’s visual system is designed to evoke calm and optimism while nodding to the landscape of Los Angelest through color, type, and simplicity.
Execution
I brought GCR’s brand to life through a Los Angeles billboard, a social media graphic encouraging volunteering, a resource pamphlet with removable tabs, and a key card for new residents.
Phase 2
How do I translate this brand into a physical headquarters?
Physical Translations
Final Translation
The GCR Headquarters are built on a rigid grid system, dividing space into intuitive, organized sections. The east half of the building is programmed for employees, events, and operational needs. The west wing offers "living" spaces for members, where they can complete everyday tasks they might not have access to in their current housing situation in a comforting yet structured environment.
Takeaways
Throughout this project, I learned how to design across mediums- translating user needs from concept to digital assets and into a physical space. Through the process, I gained a deeper understanding of how color, brand language, typography, and imagery translate into material choices, spatial adjacency, enclosure, and light. This project strengthened my ability to both widen and narrow my design thinking, moving fluidly from abstract ideas to technical execution and back again.
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