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Marga to Manda is a brand offering a modern spiritual experience space designed for individuals seeking personal growth and connection beyond traditional religious affiliations.

TIMELINE

Jul - Dec 2022 (7 months)

ROLE

Identity, motion, web UI, print and AR design
Concept writing and research

FOR

Seoul National University graduation exhibition show project

WITH

Web development: Dohyeon Park, Pyeongjae Park

3D rendering:

OVERVIEW

This project was developed as a personal endeavor for the Graduation Exhibition of the Design Department at Seoul National University. The concept originated from insights cultivated during my undergraduate studies, where I explored art history, philosophy, and psychology through various courses. Motivated by a desire to create meaningful brand, the project aims to provide relief and balance to the hectic lives of modern individuals.

Spanning themes from Buddhist art to Carl Jung’s psychology, the project was designed to communicate the necessity of this brand from a modern perspective, ensuring it resonates with the audience. My goal was to make the concept accessible and relatable to exhibition visitors. To maximize audience engagement, I developed a comprehensive brand identity, including a brand kit, AR posters, and an interactive 3D website to create a fully immersive experience.

Introduce Marga to Manda

PROBLEM CONTEXT

What inspired the creation of Marga to Manda?

The creation of Marga to Manda is deeply connected to the realities of modern life, where individuals lead busy, often exhausting lives that leave little room for reflection or emotional nourishment. In such a fast-paced world, the need for cultivating spiritual and emotional well-being has become increasingly important. However, traditional religions, which once served as a central source of such growth, no longer align with the needs and lifestyles of many modern people.

SOLUTION

Marga to Manda: A Modern Sanctuary for Spiritual and Emotional Fulfillment

Marga to Manda offers a sanctuary for modern individuals seeking balance and emotional enrichment in their busy lives. Addressing the gap left by traditional religion, it blends ancient inspirations like the mandala with contemporary spiritual practices. Through activities such as tea ceremonies, mandala drawing, and meditation, the brand provides a holistic space for self-discovery, supporting inner peace and emotional well-being.

User Research

USER RESEARCH

Exploring the Need for Spiritual Experience Spaces

: Incorporating Carl Jung’s Analytical Psychology of Mandalas

The user interviews revealed a strong need for spaces like Marga to Manda that cater to modern individuals seeking emotional balance and self-integration. Participants resonated with Jung’s view of the mandala as a visual and psychological tool for reconnecting with their inner essence. These insights highlight the potential of such spaces to bridge ancient wisdom with modern needs, offering structured yet personalized experiences. Marga to Manda, through its emphasis on harmony, reflection, and self-discovery, aligns closely with the emotional and spiritual aspirations of today’s audiences.

03
Brand Identity

MOTIF

The Mandala: A Symbol of Harmony and Self-Discovery

The mandala, a “cosmos map” in Buddhist art, symbolizes harmony, truth, and self-realization, making it a powerful motif for Marga to Manda. Its name, combining Manda (essence) and La (possession), reflects the journey to reclaim one’s inner essence.

With its interfaith inclusivity and focus on inner truth, the mandala aligns perfectly with the brand’s philosophy, bridging timeless wisdom with modern needs to guide individuals toward balance and self-discovery.

BRAND NAME

The Meaning Behind the Name: A Path Toward Essence

Marga to Manda combines two ancient Sanskrit words: Marga, meaning “path,” and Manda, meaning “essence,” to signify “a path toward essence.” The brand name reflects the symmetrical and orderly visual characteristics of the mandala, as Marga and Manda share the same number of letters and a similar structure when written in the Latin alphabet.

BRAND LOGO

The Logotype: Symmetry in Design

The logotype for Marga to Manda is designed to reflect the symmetrical and orderly visual characteristics of the intricately crafted mandala, while also capturing its mystical essence.

Brand Space & Pattern Concept

BRAND SPACE

Geometry of Essence: The Three Foundational Shapes

Marga to Manda is designed around the visual symbolism of the mandala, featuring three fundamental geometric motifs. The square symbolizes the earth, the triangle serves as a bridge between earth and sky, and the circle represents the universe. These shapes form the foundation of the spaces within Marga to Manda.

BRAND PATTERN

Patterns Inspired by Mandala Geometry

Marga to Manda features a pattern system inspired by the mandala’s three fundamental shapes. This system is applied across the brand’s visual identity, including its spaces, graphic posters, and AR motion designs.

Marga to Manda is composed of three spaces—Akasha, Manda, and Ananda—each grounded in the symbolic systems of the mandala.

TEA ROOM

AKASHA

Akasha, the first space of Marga to Manda, is a tea room where you can calm your mind from worldly distractions and let go of burdens through the practice of a tea ceremony.

MANDALA ROOM

MANDA

Manda, provides visitors to Marga to Manda with an opportunity to create their own mandalas, offering time for self-reflection.

MEDITATION ROOM

ANANDA

Ananda, a meditation room that evokes joy and serenity, allows you to discover the microcosm within your essence through meditation, guiding you to your inner truth.

05
AR Poster & Brand Kit

AR POSTER

The AR posters, inspired by the three spaces of Marga to Manda, enhance the immersive experience for visitors.

BRAND KIT

The Marga to Manda brand kit includes an informational leaflet for visitors, an invitation card, and a brand book that tells the story of the space’s creation.

Visitor Information Leaflet

Invitation Card

Brand Book

Exhibition View

Final Takeaways

Wrapping Up My Undergraduate Studies..

This project was a meaningful way to wrap up my six years of undergraduate studies, bringing together my diverse interests in the humanities through design. It allowed me to experiment with new visual tools like AR and Three.js, expanding the possibilities of visual storytelling while learning how to design a brand from the perspective of the user. Explaining my project to visitors at the exhibition and seeing them connect with my work was an incredibly rewarding experience. (One of my closest friends was even moved to tears by my effort, which meant the world to me! 😭)

A Holistic Approach to Modern Needs

This project allowed me to explore the intersection of design, spirituality, and psychology, providing a unique opportunity to address modern individuals’ emotional and spiritual needs. By integrating insights from Buddhist art, Carl Jung’s mandala psychology, and contemporary design principles, I was able to create a concept that resonates with the hectic lives of today’s audience.

Empathy as the Core of Design

Through this project, I learned the importance of empathy in design—understanding user needs, integrating cultural and historical contexts, and creating a space that feels both accessible and transformative. This experience reinforced my belief that design can serve as a powerful tool for bridging ancient wisdom with modern lifestyles, providing a pathway for individuals to reconnect with their inner selves.

🫣 Behind The Scenes

As you can probably tell, I put my everything into this project—not just staying up all night designing, but also making endless trips to the print shop and building the entire exhibition space from scratch. (It was my first time painting walls and putting up vinyl sheets, but luckily, my awesome classmates made it way easier! 🩷)