This time it’s different

Challenge

For generations, pioneers in North and East Omaha fought for equity and economic opportunity without the resources to match the vision. OIPA changed that — a public agency with real legal authority, real funding, and a mandate to act. They needed a brand identity to match the moment. One that carried civic weight and signaled something genuinely new was underway.

Solution

Every brand needs an anchor. For OIPA, Wheelhouse found it in the survey marker — a symbol of precision and intention — reimagined as a contemporary monogram. Because this is an organization that doesn’t just survey land. It surveys ideas, partnerships, and opportunity.

The color palette draws directly from North and East Omaha — its land, its history, its future. Earth tones rooted in community touchpoints: historic buildings, murals, and the surrounding landscape. Authentic to place. Grounded yet forward-looking.

Typography pairs classic strength with modern character, giving the identity the permanence a civic anchor demands. Built as a flexible system, the brand expands cohesively across every application — from signage to community-facing materials.

Results

OIPA launched with an identity that reflects the scale of what it’s building — a 3,000-acre district, $123 million in investment, and a 10-year master plan for North and East Omaha. A visual system built to grow alongside the organization, in a boardroom or on a development site.

A brand for an organization. A brand for a movement. Because this time, it’s real.

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Services

strategy, creative direction, brand development, copywriting, iconography, photography

Collaborators

Strategy, Creative Direction & Design: Cathy Solarana
Strategy, Copy Writing: Olivia Poggenpohl