Wahiawā Health and Wellness Association
Project Overview
Wahiawā Health and Wellness Association (WHWA) is a community-driven organization dedicated to the holistic well-being of Central Oʻahu. Transitioning from a traditional hospital into a wellness association, the brand seeks to balance clinical reliability with the rural values of self-reliance and local connection.
The resulting identity is grounded in the history of Wahiawā, utilizing a sense of place and multi-generational storytelling to create an organization that feels both professionally modern and deeply rooted in the heart of the community.
Project Type
Volunteer Work
(Solo Student Project)
Contributions
Brand Guidelines Logo Design
Brand Identity
Timeline
2 months
Tools
InDesign
Illustrator
Photoshop
Research
Before diving into the visuals, I started by researching Wahiawā’s history and geography to better understand the community this organization serves. This research uncovered core themes of land stewardship, resilience, and belonging—all deeply rooted in landmarks the residents know and love. I also discovered the organization began as a maternal hospital, which added a significant layer to its legacy.
With this in mind, I anchored the identity in specific Wahiawā landmarks: the Kūkaniloko Birthing Stones, with their cultural ties to childbirth and lineage; Mount Kaʻala; the flow of the Kaukonahua Stream; and the rising sun over Pukana Lā. By abstracting these landmarks into simple motifs, I was able to align the design with these themes, effectively grounding the brand identity in both the place and its history
Logotype
The logomark brings together key natural and cultural references into a unified circular form. The rising sun, mountain silhouette, and flowing water reflect renewal, resilience, and continuity, while the overall structure conveys stability and care.
Brand Guideline
Once the logomark was established, I created a brand guideline covering brand identity, logo, typography, color palette, layouts, social media, and merch.
Reflection
This was a volunteer project structured as a class pitch. Since ten of us were proposing identities for the same client, we were limited to meeting with them twice: once for our first draft and again for the final presentation.
That structure forced me to be decisive, but it also highlighted the importance of primary research. If I were to approach this outside of a school project, I’d prioritize real, open-ended interviews with the community to get beyond surface-level insights.
I also recognize that a logomark is only the starting point. With limited background info, the project focused heavily on visual aesthetics. In future projects, I want to develop a more well-rounded brand identity—defining a clear brand voice and creating guidelines for social, print, and digital applications. My goal is to build a brand identity that communicates the organization's unique mission, rather than relying on generic wellness themes.
Social Media & Merch
I explored multiple logo directions before refining the work into two focused options, each aligned with the core themes established.