RIPTA

Project

Where are those flying cars? Better yet, where’s a “car” that can take flight through the hearts and minds of everyone who flags it down? Grease the tracks and count out your fare: soon, those cars may be flying through the streets of Providence! Schwa partnered with RIPTA, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, to design a community engagement experience to explore that possibility. Together with our neighbors throughout the city, we developed a revolutionary, 21st century transportation plan that puts the old streetcar on a [light] rail to the future. 

Process

Innovative transportation demands creative and consistent communication, and Schwa’s been riding those rails for awhile. We supported the RIPTA communications team in brand-appropriate engagement with the community, press, and government agencies, as well as in ongoing efforts like fundraising and lobbying. After establishing a brand-driven message architecture, we translated engineering language to public-facing messages and designed the executive summary publication and presentation boards for the mayor’s press conference. We also designed an icon system and document suite to demonstrate features and benefits of proposed routes. Drawing on the services of Studio AMD, we complemented those concepts with renderings – such as a streetcar pulling up in front of the performing arts center – to show how the vision could become a new reality in the new Providence. 

Provided

Project strategy & leadership, strategy, content strategy, copywriting, promotional strategy & collateral, illustration, website design & development, CMS orientation & user manual, presentation boards.