Our Work

Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area

Northeast Iowa - 37 County Area

Confluence developed signage design guidelines for this important and extensive National Heritage Area that spans 37 counties in northeastern Iowa.  These guidelines enable a cohesive interpretive experience across the heritage region by providing strong and consistent direction in graphic layout and design. 

In addition to providing visual guidelines for organizing text and images, they provide helpful insights into developing useful content.  While detailed and precise, the guidelines also provide flexible direction in order to allow the true essence of each individual site to be properly captured and illustrated with each new application.

Three major types of signage were developed as standards for use in the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area: 

• Interpretive signs provide insight into the history of the sites through supporting graphics and text. 
• Directional signs provide wayfinding throughout the heritage area.
• Gateway signs, used by the Department of Transportation, announce a visitor’s arrival to the heritage area. 

The final Signage Design Guidelines package consisted of a booklet outlining the proposed technical specifications for constructing each sign type, as well as guidelines for the graphic layout of each sign.

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