Downtown New Britain
New Britain, CT
New Britain, Connecticut, has long been a city with deep industrial roots, a rich cultural history, and a vibrant, evolving downtown. However, as the city modernizes, it needed a brand identity and online presence that would reflect its growth while staying true to its heritage. Downtown New Britain required a dynamic website and visual branding that could engage both businesses and residents, promote local events, and foster economic development.
The challenge? Unifying the city’s historical character with its forward momentum in a way that felt fresh, accessible, and exciting.
THE WORK
+ Logo Design
+ Graphic Design
+ Responsive Website Design
+ Business Directory
+ Videography (coming soon)
+ Technical training
+ Embed 3rd-Party Tockify Events Calendar
+ Social Media Connection
+ Wix Setup
The Approach:
A Cohesive Digital & Visual Identity
From the outset, the goal was clear: create a brand and digital space that captures Downtown New Britain’s energy, community spirit, and economic potential. To achieve this, I developed a comprehensive visual identity and website that would serve as the city's hub for businesses, residents, and visitors alike.
Branding: A Logo That Tells a Story
Every strong brand starts with an iconic visual identity. The Downtown New Britain logo is more than just an aesthetic—it’s a story in itself.
The Beehive Motif: New Britain’s nickname, “The Hardware City,” is a tribute to its industrial legacy. Beyond its manufacturing history, New Britain is a place of industrious people. The beehive symbolizes hard work, community, and collaboration, the perfect emblem representing downtown energy.
The Skyline Elements: A city is more than its streets. It’s its people, businesses, and history. The subtle integration of New Britain’s skyline gives the logo a sense of place, grounding it in both the past and the future.
A Modern Yet Timeless Aesthetic: The clean, bold typography balances a historic feel with a modern twist, ensuring versatility across print and digital media.
Branding:
A Logo That Tells a Story
Every strong brand starts with an iconic visual identity. The Downtown New Britain logo is more than just an aesthetic—it’s a story in itself.
The Beehive Motif: New Britain’s nickname, “The Hardware City,” is a tribute to its industrial legacy, but beyond its manufacturing history, New Britain is a place of industrious people. The beehive—a symbol of hard work, community, and collaboration—was the perfect emblem to represent the downtown’s energy.
The Skyline Elements: A city is more than its streets—it’s its people, businesses, and history. The subtle integration of New Britain’s skyline gives the logo a sense of place, grounding it in both the past and the future.
A Modern Yet Timeless Aesthetic: The clean, bold typography balances a historic feel with a modern twist, ensuring versatility across print and digital media.
The Finalists:
The Winner:
This new visual identity was designed to be a rallying point for the community. Something that locals could take pride in while also signaling a welcoming presence to new businesses and visitors.
Responsive Web Design
A Digital Hub for the Community
With the branding in place, the next step was to build a website that served as the digital front door for Downtown New Britain. The website needed to be more than just an online brochure; it had to be an interactive, informative, and engaging resource that seamlessly connects users with the businesses, events, and services available downtown.
Key Features & Design Considerations:
User-Friendly Navigation: Designed with accessibility in mind, the website makes it easy for residents, visitors, and business owners to find what they need, whether it’s upcoming events, business directories, or city initiatives.
Event & Business Directories: Downtown New Britain is a hub of activity, and the website ensures that events, businesses, and opportunities are showcased in an organized, visually appealing way.
SEO Optimization & Mobile Responsiveness: To ensure that Downtown New Britain’s digital presence was as strong as its physical one, the website was built with search engine optimization and mobile-first design in mind. This makes it easy for locals and visitors to discover what the city has to offer.
Engaging Visuals & Storytelling: High-quality imagery, modern typography, and a strategic content layout create an immersive experience that reflects the energy of the downtown district.
Community-Focused Content: Beyond aesthetics, the site needed to speak to New Britain’s diverse and engaged community. The messaging is designed to be welcoming, informative, and action-driven, inviting people to explore, support, and invest in the city’s future.
Business Directory
Transforming the Downtown New Britain business directory was more than just a design update. It was about redefining how people experience and engage with the city. The old directory was functional but uninspiring, lacking the warmth and vibrancy that makes downtown special. The new design brings the community to life with rich visuals, intuitive navigation, and a branded identity that reflects the city's energy. By making businesses more discoverable and inviting, this transformation helps draw users in, encouraging them to explore, support local shops, and truly experience Downtown New Britain.
