Yuyuan Tea House

Illustrated packaging inspired by the historic Yuyuan Garden tea house in Shanghai.

Client:

Yuyuan Tea House

Year:

2018

Type:

Packaging Design, Illustration

Yuyuan Garden

Project Description

Yuyuan Garden is one of Shanghai’s most historic cultural landmarks, originally built during the Ming Dynasty in 1559. Surrounded by traditional architecture and tea houses, the garden represents a quiet retreat within the city and a long standing connection to Chinese tea culture.


This project explored how the atmosphere of Yuyuan could be translated into a contemporary tea packaging system. The goal was to capture the character and cultural context of the tea house through illustration while creating packaging that feels modern and distinctive.


My role involved developing the illustration concept and packaging design, translating architectural and cultural references from Yuyuan into a visual narrative that could be applied across the product packaging.

Yuyuan Garden 1
Yuyuan Garden 2

Design Approach

The packaging draws inspiration from the historic Yuyuan Tea House in Shanghai. Rather than depicting the architecture literally, the concept reimagines it through expressive illustrations that capture the atmosphere of the garden and its tea culture.


The process began with sketches influenced by traditional Chinese illustration styles and architectural elements of the tea house.


The final design evoked a contemporary expression of the tea house, using vibrant colours that allow the illustrations to become the central visual element of the packaging.

Streetside billboard with flyposters of the Batch.Works brand and illustrations
Streetside billboard with flyposters of the Batch.Works brand and illustrations
Streetside billboard with flyposters of the Batch.Works brand and illustrations
Streetside billboard with flyposters of the Batch.Works brand and illustrations

Reflection

This project explored how illustration can transform packaging into a storytelling medium. Instead of focusing solely on product information, the design aimed to communicate the atmosphere and cultural context of Yuyuan Garden.


Working on this project reinforced how visual narratives can help products feel more immersive and memorable, especially when they draw inspiration from meaningful cultural environments.