Akera is a new kind of generational retreat center, ceremonial grounds, and playground for both adults and children to discover wonder, whimsy, beauty, and inner power.

Together, we aim to design temples, opening portals that invite divinity to enter. We aim to create safe containers for inner exploration and evolution. We aim to immerse people in the sweetness of gratitude.

ROLE:

Brand Strategy & Design
Content Creation
Interior Design
UI (In progress)

The process:

I worked closely with the founders to find an aesthetic that felt authentic, playful and innocent while maintaining sensuousness, and a wild romance. I wanted to design something that felt immersive - something that you could imagine is the container for magical experiences and deep inner work, as well as casual family retreats. I iterated with the founders for months, honing in on the visual details and copywriting nuances to fully embody the AKERA brand. The client loved dark themes with gold embellishments and Moroccan architectural influences, so I wove those elements throughout the visual identity.

AKERA comes to life by designing thoughtfully crafted experience that is intentional, fun, and magical from start to finish. AKERA is a place for artists to express, healers to teach, generations to gather, students to learn, and everyone to play. AKERA is a place where every sunset is magical, every sunrise is like the first, all that is from the earth is revered, and wildness is celebrated.

I synthesized the AKERA brand from lengthy conversations and work sessions with the founders, culminating in the AKERA Principles - internal and external facing pillars of culture, behavior, and inspiration at AKERA. We want people to instantly understand the magic and intention behind AKERA the moment they set foot on the magical 150 acre piece of land in upstate New York.

Logo

I wanted to design an elegant type mark that would be recognizable, distinct, legible, and fantastical. Working with the founders, we picked a typeface, and I did a custom arrangement using glyphs and ligatures, creating a beautiful and refined looking type lockup to accompany the symbol (designed by someone else).

Content Creation

Synthesizing the brand ethos and visual identity, I curated references for the upcoming content creation sprint, outlining photography and copywriting requirements.

Photos are magical, inclusive, fantastical, and group centric. We want to embody the diverse, loving family that is the AKERA community, and invite similarly minded folks to choose AKERA as their playground.

Interiors - Concept Design

Similar to the branding process, I worked with the founders to extract a story that would flow through the interior spaces. The Sanctuary, a core, divinely feminine space on the property, is designed for womxn’s gatherings, medicine ceremonies, and sacred work. The building is full of curves, soft edges, warm colors, and matte textures, we create a space that is comfortable, neutral, and safe, inviting the nurturer within everyone to emerge.

The building is bright and optimistic, elevating spaces psychologically shift consciousness to think beyond just the ego. By accentuating natural light and playing with prismatic lighting fixtures, we invite joy into the space. I also wanted to incorporate the principles of Wabi Sabi design, a Japanese design philosophy centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. We invite guests to appreciate beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature.

(Photos coming November 2022)