Fort Washington Branding and Wayfinding Plan (PAMC)

Project Planner

Project Description

Fort Washington Forward, Inc., a nonprofit organization, was awarded funding for a consultant to develop a Branding and Wayfinding Plan for the greater Fort Washington community. Formed in December 2021, Fort Washington Forward’s mission is to 1) attract smart/holistic investment to the Fort Washington community that accentuates retail, the environment, and parks and recreation, and 2) enhance social connectivity and sustainability in the community. For this project, branding is that which differentiates a community or place by capturing its unique collective identity and representing it in a distinct manner using visual cues, words, and phrases. A successful brand unites the community and captures the imagination of people outside the area. Wayfinding is that which helps people successfully navigate through an area using visual and other sensory cues such as signs or mapping. Wayfinding tools and resources help orient people to their current location and assist them in planning and following a route to reach a different destination.  

The branding component will use community engagement to identify significant cultural, historic, and natural resources, define a Fort Washinton boundary and establish a Fort Washington brand to capture a shared identity and project a positive message by which the community can be known and recognized by residents, visitors, homebuyers, and businesses and their customers. The wayfinding component will inventory existing amenity signage and signage conditions, and, using the branding components developed, establish what future signage should look like; and where the signage should be located to highlight the region’s amenities and identify the location as “Fort Washington.”  

Project Boundary