Santa Fe SageWay — Reimagining Public Transit Through Community-Centric Branding

Overview:
Santa Fe SageWay is a comprehensive branding initiative developed to revitalize public transit through strategic design, positioning the city’s downtown art district as a hub of sustainable, community-centered mobility. By integrating nature-inspired visuals and culturally resonant storytelling, the SageWay brand fosters a sense of calm, clarity, and connection while promoting environmental stewardship.

Challenge:
The project’s objective was to reinvent Santa Fe’s public transit identity, making it more approachable, inclusive, and culturally aligned with the city’s artistic heritage. This required:

• Establishing a visual language that reflects the desert landscape and indigenous history while instilling confidence in the transit experience.

• Designing a brand identity that bridges public transit and the arts community, positioning SageWay as a central element in Santa Fe’s cultural narrative.

• Developing a cohesive brand system that resonates with diverse commuter demographics, from residents to tourists.

Approach:

• Research & Strategic Analysis: Conducted an in-depth audit of urban transit systems, identifying opportunities to leverage regional aesthetics and cultural narratives to elevate rider perception and engagement.

• Concept Development: Defined the SageWay brand as both a literal route and a metaphorical “way of the sage,” symbolizing mindful, intentional travel. The concept strategically connects Santa Fe’s artistic community with public transit, encouraging users to engage with both art and mobility in a conscious, interconnected way.

• Design System Creation: Developed a comprehensive visual identity system, including:

  • Logo and Iconography: Incorporating desert flora as a visual motif to evoke themes of resilience and sustainability.

  • Color Palette: Earth tones and muted hues inspired by the regional landscape, conveying a sense of calm and grounding.

  • Typography & Wayfinding: Bold, legible typography paired with intuitive iconography, ensuring accessibility and clarity across all touchpoints.

  • Public Service Campaign: Created targeted messaging and marketing collateral to introduce SageWay as a culturally significant transit initiative that unites art and public transportation.

Deliverables:

• Comprehensive Graphic Standards Manual, detailing brand guidelines and usage

• Logo, iconography, and typography systems

• Environmental graphics, including signage, wayfinding, and vehicle wraps

• Print and digital marketing assets, such as posters, brochures, and social media templates

• Public service campaign to introduce the SageWay initiative and foster community buy-in

Impact & Outcomes:

• Repositioned public transit as a community-driven, culturally aligned initiative, elevating public perception through strategic branding.

• Successfully demonstrated the potential of design as a bridge between art, culture, and sustainability, reinforcing SageWay as a cornerstone of Santa Fe’s identity.

• Developed a scalable, cohesive brand system that unifies messaging across all transit touchpoints, setting a standard for public transit branding that is both visually compelling and culturally relevant.