Baltimore’s Little Italy Neighborhood Association (LINA) partnered with Graham Projects to design a cohesive wayfinding system that strengthens the community’s identity and helps visitors more easily navigate to and through the celebrated, historic neighborhood. Working closely with LINA for nearly two years, the team developed a network of signage and sidewalk markers that celebrate the area’s heritage while improving visibility and orientation for residents and visitors.
The project combined graphic design with functional spatial planning. Graham Projects developed the visual language for the system while determining the placement and directionality of 26 signs and 38 thermoplastic sidewalk markers throughout the neighborhood. Through an iterative process with community members, business owners, and neighborhood leadership, the final system balances the client’s vision with practical wayfinding strategies to create welcoming gateways into Little Italy, especially for visitors exploring Baltimore for the first time.
The sign design reflects the community’s desire for a “classic Italian” aesthetic. The primary color palette references the Italian flag, with blue used as an accent drawn from colors commonly found in Italian storefronts, graphics, and sports culture. A waving ribbon motif introduces movement and depth, guiding the viewer’s eye toward the words “Little Italy” while maintaining a timeless aesthetic. The sign structure was designed for flexibility and future updates. A blue panel along the lower portion of the sign accommodates interchangeable location identifiers, allowing destinations to be updated without replacing the entire sign or undergoing additional permitting.
High-durability thermoplastic sidewalk markers extend the wayfinding network along pedestrian routes. The markers mirror the signage’s visual language, incorporating the ribbon motif and Italian color palette to create a unified system across multiple scales. A directional arrow guides visitors toward the neighborhood’s core, while the marker’s shape references the shield form used in the sign design, reinforcing cohesion throughout the wayfinding system.
Project partner: Little Italy Neighborhood Association
Design Team: Lead Designer: Liam Arbeiter, Art Director: Graham Coreil-Allen
Installation Team: Liam Arbeiter, Mar Braxton, Baltimore Signsmiths
