A City’s Cultural Heritage Communication Through Design

Abstract

All objects, forms and patrimonial elements of cities are repositories of graphic memory and history, which account for values and meanings of cultural identity of a territory to its inhabitants and to its visitors. By review of the main literature and a case studies method, we characterize significant aspects of heritage buildings which present by visual means, unnoticed information by most observers. This is a descriptive and explanatory report, to verify common aspects. Design can take advantage of this and use such visual elements to add value to contemplated objects and to cultural interaction that emerges from them. Graphic design is presented as a strategic tool which contributes to communication of these visual manifestations which, in turn, constitutes material cultural heritage of a place. Therefore, this paper approaches cultural heritage of a territory, as treated from the perspective of strategic design and graphic design. Design acts both as an intermediate and interpreter that gives meaning to information, so it can be transmitted to citizens.