Burbank, CA, USA /BUSINESS WIRE/ — BRC Imagination Arts, an experience design agency that turns brands into destinations, has received the Themed Entertainment Association’s Thea Award for Outstanding Corporate Brand-land for The Story Garden at the AMOREPACIFIC Beauty Campus in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The award honors creative excellence in theme parks, museums, and corporate attractions.
The Story Garden by AMOREPACIFIC opened in September 2013 and reinvents the concept of the factory tour and brand center. It immerses visitors in the philosophy that beauty is a gift that has the power to transform the world. Studded with fine-art installations, media experiences, contemplative spaces and blended musical effects, The Story Garden uses a predominantly non-verbal approach to tell the emotional story of AMOREPACIFIC’s journey. It began with humble origins in a mother’s kitchen, and became a symbol of hope and opportunity for the post-war generations of women in South Korea. Today, it’s one of the most successful skincare companies in the world today.
The 10,000 square foot multi-level Story Garden is surrounded by a lush botanical garden and greenhouse, reflecting the company’s commitment to nature and plant-based ingredients. The surroundings immediately convey to visitors a company deeply rooted in nature’s wisdom. Individual rooms interpret the company’s core values as physical spaces, creating a deeper connection between visitors and the brand.
The Story Garden was originally intended for only a limited audience of the company’s employees and beauty consultants; the tour experience has become so popular it now welcomes guests six days a week, with limited public tours also available.
“The Story Garden was a labor of love and an invigorating challenge for our team,” said Christian Lachel, Executive Creative Director and Vice President at BRC Imagination Arts. “The AMOREPACIFIC brand holds tremendous cultural and historical significance in South Korea, but it also appeals to people in China, Japan and other parts of the world. Our opportunity was to bring the company’s values and history to life in an emotionally evocative and universally accessible way. The result is a deeply touching experience that honors the company’s legacy. We hope it will inspire visitors for years to come.”
The Story Garden project has achieved additional recognitions and honors for its design and social impact on visitors. It received an International Design Award, Bronze Award for Interior Design in the categories of professional, conceptual and other interior design.
The Story Garden also received an Environments Finalist award from the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) sponsored by IDSA, Core77, Fast Company and more.
And earlier this year The Story Garden received the Silver SPARK Design Award for Experience Design.
The Thea Awards were created by the Themed Entertainment Association to help realize a key mission of the association: bringing recognition to achievement, talent and personal excellence within the themed entertainment industry. From a modest beginning in 1994, the Thea Awards have become internationally recognized as a symbol of excellence. Recipients will be honored at a black-tie gala on March 21, 2015, at the Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California.