For our Graphic Design internship, we worked with the Town of Natick, Massachusetts and their Conservation Commission to solve three main design challenges to yield deliverables that will be used by the Town, as well as smaller projects and marketing materials. The first challenge was to design an Open Spaces and Trails logo to be used by the Town for educational, way-finding, and general signage, along with printed materials, websites, and social media pages.
site visit / sign placement research
color palette inspiration
The logo is a small snapshot of what one can find or do in Natick's many Open Spaces and Trails. The logo, or even the icons alone, can be used in different contexts by the Town to help improve the marketing and local use of certain areas.
beaver lodge sign, detail
beaver lodge sign, detail 2
The second design challenge was specific to Pickerel Pond, one of Natick's Open Spaces and Trails areas. The pond is populated by beaver families and rare tree species, and the interpretive signs were designed to educate trail users about their activity and species conservation. After FSU Ecology interns performed research and developed content for the signs, we created layouts and graphics to complement the wording to create an immersive and educational experience for trail visitors. Our main inspirations for the layout were textbook pages, zoo exhibits, and local way-finding signage.
Both signs were later printed and installed on-site in collaboration with a local sign company for all visitors to learn from and enjoy for years to come.
trailhead template
trailhead template, 2
The third design challenge was to create a simple but effective template for Natick to display at trailheads to assist with way-finding. Feedback from multiple Natick committees over the course of the semester led us to choose a maroon and gold color palette to match other signage in Natick such as parks or baseball fields. and to incorporate the chosen Open Spaces & Trails logo to create a cohesive design language.