Gaithersburg Parks Signage System
Where Wayfinding Meets Storytelling
CASE STUDY
A Visual Welcome to Gaithersburg's Green Spaces
Client
Parks, Recreation and Culture
Services
Branding
Graphic Design
Wayfinding
Designing Public Space Identity Through Maps, Signs and Stories
Overview
As part of its growing park system, the City of Gaithersburg introduced two new green spaces: Discovery Park and Pleasant View Park.
Each had a distinct personality—Discovery focused on active play and exploration, while Pleasant View emphasized quiet reflection and historical storytelling.
To support these goals, I was brought on to design a visual signage system that could orient, educate, and inspire. The signs needed to function across entrances, playgrounds, and natural areas—all while staying true to each park’s unique character and meeting the city’s broader branding standards.
As the graphic design lead, I handled concept development, layout, illustration integration, accessibility, and final production prep. I worked closely with Parks staff to ensure that each piece was both functional and expressive of place.
Design Concept and Message
To reflect the parks’ community-centered mission, we introduced a set of whimsical, digitally hand-drawn trees as a recurring graphic motif. These trees featured organic shapes, textured canopies, and a friendly, rounded aesthetic. Their approachable style brought a playful yet grounded tone to the signage—signaling that these are spaces for everyone.
This whimsical style carried into the maps, which feature curved paths, soft greens, and simple, friendly icons. For broader park materials, I extended the system with illustrations of people in motion, building a lively, storybook-like visual language that made wayfinding feel joyful and inclusive.
Challenges
Each park brought its own set of complexities. Discovery Park required two distinct orientation maps—one for each entrance—while a frequent parking mix-up with a nearby daycare center triggered the need for a branded directional yard sign, fast.
At Pleasant View Park, a last-minute construction change eliminated the space for separate map and history signs. I had to combine both into one vertical format that could still preserve visual hierarchy and accessibility.
Solutions
To make Discovery Park easy to navigate, I created mirrored horizontal maps for each entrance—each aligned to the user’s perspective upon arrival. I also designed a branded yard sign reminding visitors not to park at the daycare center, incorporating cheerful illustrations to keep the message community-friendly.
At Pleasant View, I adapted the original signage plan into a single vertically stacked sign that merged the park’s site map with its land history. This shift preserved the narrative while meeting physical constraints. I also created a compost system sign in the same style—designed as a simple three-bin infographic that encourages environmental stewardship, especially for families.
The visual system’s flexibility became an asset. I later extended the same style to a pollinator garden sign for the City’s Youth Center, as well as a custom intro slide for Gaithersburg’s Free PARK-ing video series. These applications helped unify the City’s parks messaging across physical and digital platforms.
Deliverables
- Horizontal orientation maps for Discovery Park (east and west entrances)
- Branded entrance signs for both parks
- Parking direction yard sign (Discovery Park)
- Vertical welcome and rules signs (Pleasant View Park)
- Compost system infographic sign
- Combined vertical map/history panel (Pleasant View Park)
- Pollinator garden sign (Youth Center extension)
- Free PARK-ing video intro slide
- Production-ready vector files, mockups, and vendor specs
Results
This signage system helped define a new visual identity for Gaithersburg’s parks—one that balances practical wayfinding with personality and purpose. Discovery Park now offers easy orientation from both entry points, and Pleasant View’s combined map and story panel invites reflection on the land’s past and present.
The warm, illustrated style was embraced by City staff and extended to other projects, demonstrating the strength of a system rooted in accessibility, community values, and joyful design.
