Since October 2019, Canada’s cannabis industry has undertaken a momentous change, with the legalisation of edibles, extracts, topicals and vapes triggering a boom of new products. Alchemy is ‘Toronto’s first immersive cannabis retail experience’, located on Dufferin Street in the Canadian city’s York district. The opening of the Studio Paolo Ferrari designed space has unfortunately been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic but should open promptly once lockdown regulations are tempered. Alchemy is set to be a standout Cannabis Dispensary in Toronto and should be seen to truly be understood.

Underline Studio’s identity for the store is inspired by the meaning of alchemy: a seemingly magical process of transformation, and the feeling of transcending from one state to another. These references are embedded into the visual language through a constantly changing wordmark, set in Colophon Foundry’s Mabry, and a circular gradient mark, which fluidly changes colour with each application. The brand is designed to feel high-end and minimal, in an attempt to change the perception of cannabis as it makes its way to the ‘legal’ mainstream.

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Typefaces: Mabry by Colophon Foundry / Helvetica Neue by Stempel
Print: Flash Reproductions
Photography: Paul Weeks