Wells Avenue: A District of Community, Diversity, and Independence
Recently, we had the opportunity to once again give back to the heart of the city of Reno, more specifically, the Wells Avenue District. Regarded as one of the oldest neighborhoods in Reno with a distinct cultural past, Wells Avenue District is a district comprising a diversity of peoples, languages, and community resources. Wells remains a place for connection, from mom-and-pop shops to tattoo parlors to taco trucks. Many of the businesses in this area help embrace the community’s cultural life, encourage cultural traditions, and provide services that allow communities to flourish and connect with their roots.
While Wells continues to undergo several bittersweet changes with various people and businesses moving in and out of the neighborhood, the people and representatives of Wells Avenue District are working toward recognizing the area as a historic conservation and preservation site. These efforts mean that the distinct cultural past of Wells is not forgotten but celebrated, and those who call the area home can help shape the future of Wells Avenue District. 
As our team explored what the overall brand of Wells could look like, it was imperative to focus on the values that have allowed this area to thrive through decades of change and development. For this reason, we pulled inspiration from the sculpture on Wells Avenue by artist Benjamin Victor titled” Community, Diversity, and Independence.” This sculpture is reflected in the brand mark and is paired with the typeface “Espirítu,” a font from Sudtipos in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The font name translates to “Spirit” in Spanish, which inspired us to incorporate it into the brand mark as it reflects the community’s enduring spirit and diversity found in the Wells Avenue District.
As we continued to explore Wells’s identity, we developed support patterns and graphics that would help to reflect and celebrate its culture and diversity. These included a playful yet restrained color palette and abstract shapes that all helped to cultivate a sense of hope for the future of Wells Avenue District, and we are overjoyed and grateful to be a part of it.
