Town of Gilbert

The historic Heritage District in the Town of Gilbert, AZ, has seen tremendous growth in recent years and, located just 30 minutes southwest of Phoenix, is poised for continued development. Multistudio created an identity system for the Heritage District that honors the area’s agricultural roots while celebrating its evolving diversity and character.

The implementation process has been staggered into three phases, focusing on navigation and placemaking, layered enhancements, and finishing touches. A thoughtfully designed identity system defines “Character Areas” throughout the Heritage District, adding visual texture and uniting the district’s historical legacy with its vibrant future.

Early and ongoing community engagement ensured local alignment, fostered ownership, and shaped both the placemaking and wayfinding master plan.

A key insight from these feedback sessions revealed a lack of geographic clarity, which was addressed by organizing the Character Areas around three defining landmarks—the canal, water tower, and railway—each with distinct character and visual identity. Together, they create a unified narrative that tells the story of the Heritage District.

A flexible, multi-modal wayfinding system was developed to improve navigation and connect people to the district through meaningful storytelling. Historic landmarks serve as functional and visual anchors, reinforcing a cohesive brand and sense of place. To ensure future consistency as the Town continues to grow, the team designed guidelines that outline standards for materials, colors, typography, and iconography.

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