The Walltown Community

Overview

The Walltown Community

Walltown is a historic Black community in Durham, North Carolina. The project began with the goal of creating an identity that could represent the neighborhood and support new gateway signage marking entry into the community. The finished system honors Walltown's history, architecture, and residents while giving the neighborhood a recognizable visual presence across print, apparel, signage, and digital applications.

Challenge

Nearly 30 community representatives participated throughout the design process, ranging from residents in their early twenties to longtime neighbors in their eighties. The identity needed to bring those perspectives together and reflect the landmark buildings shared across generations: the school, church, historic homes, and community center. The signage portion presented a second challenge. Residents had pursued neighborhood signage for years but continued to encounter permitting and funding barriers.

Solution

I created an illustrated neighborhood identity that places Walltown's landmark buildings at the forefront. The varied building colors represent the diversity of the community, while the connected streetscape shows how its people, institutions, and history come together to form one neighborhood. I then applied my sign-industry experience to help move the gateway monument from concept through planning, permitting, production, and installation. That end-to-end coordination helped resolve the obstacles that had delayed the effort, culminating in the monument sign's public unveiling in 2023.

Services provided

Community Branding, Logo Design, Stakeholder Engagement, Print Collateral, Apparel Graphics, Environmental Signage, Sign Planning & Permitting, Project Coordination, Website Design