Annapolis is open.

For almost four centuries, Annapolis has made its mark on this world. And perhaps nowhere is that mark better embodied than in the vibrant evolving experience that is downtown Annapolis. The next evolution of this city is anchored in the reconstruction of one of its most frequented parking garages. But this isn’t a story about a garage. It’s a story about a symbol for the city Annapolis is becoming, and a reminder of the steps it takes to get there. Because Annapolis is creating a gateway that promises to empower easier access to all of the things that make downtown, well, downtown. A gateway between the city’s historic heritage and progressive mindset. And a gateway to the city Annapolis seeks to become.

The visual identity.

Access Annapolis is the umbrella name for all of the efforts that will be made both during the construction of the garage and the full rebuilding of City Dock in downtown Annapolis. These simple two words encapsulate the vision of Access Annapolis—to keep this amazing city as open as possible. With this core aspiration and an accompanying visual emblem, we set out to create a visual look that’s as colorful, dimensional, and welcoming as the city itself. The palette’s reflective of some of the city’s most memorable hallmarks, and the visual compositions are designed with accessibility and ease of use front of mind.

"Contrast & Co. has been a joy to work with. Not only are they creative geniuses who helped us create excitement around the ho-hum rebuild of one of they City's largest municipal infrastructure projects, they did it quickly and professionally. Then they explained exactly how they got to the key concepts, which helped in the handoff so that we could execute on their brilliant ideas."

Public Information Officer, City of Annapolis

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The signage design system.

When designing this campaign in partnership with city leadership, we knew we needed more than a simple and striking visual mark. We needed a system. So we adapted the campaign monogram to flex seamlessly across applications and aspect ratios. From large-scale signage and wayfinding to small-scale promotional materials and ad graphics, each usage is agile, recognizable, and highly consistent. Plus, we provided comprehensive guidelines for placement, text treatments, and color pairings, empowering effortless implementation by internal and external teams alike.

The supporting resources.

Upon reopening, the new garage will immediately comprise more spots to park in downtown Annapolis than ever before. But beyond simply more spaces, it will also feature a solar roof, more charging stations for electric vehicles, bike parking, and better lighting, safety, and security features throughout. In short, this is a project with intention—and it’s just the beginning. So we equipped the team with all the core visual elements and messaging frameworks to allow for seamless communications throughout the project and well beyond.