Valuation and Communication of Heritage Through Design: Creation of a Graphic Brand from Cultural Heritage Elements Intrinsic to a Place

Dissemination of heritage necessarily includes the graphic definition of the materials where the information is presented and, consequently, the definition of the graphic brand associated with these communicational materials. By associating identity and graphic brand with a place or city, the designer’s intervention is fundamental in establishing a visual identity program that dignifies the symbols of the city, as well as the spirit of the place, and that is what promotes cultural differentiation and enrichment. In this sense, the present study proposes a methodology based on a literature review and application of a practical project to a group of students. This project consisted of the development of a graphic identity for a future project entitled “BEJA VISUAL”, which would aim to communicate in a graphic and visual way, the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the city of Beja, located in the “Baixo Alentejo” region in southern Portugal. It was intended to demonstrate the importance of local symbols and graphics in the construction of a graphic brand to promote these same heritage values. The learning of Design stands out in the search for these symbols, codes, and local expressions, and from them, in presenting a solution full of meaning and of symbolic and formal connection with what it communicates and represents, creating a more emotional connection with the user.