The future of Heber City’s downtown aesthetic and recognizable identity may lie in what a lot of it is literally made of: brick.“I’ve been given the assignment to go through and help the city with some of these branding issues and try to make sense of what has historically been a very complicated thing and try to make it simple,” general manager and co-founder of Ignition Creative Group Ryan Bunnell said Tuesday during a council meeting. To do so, he explained that he implemented the philosophical principle of Ocaam’s razor.“You take a complicated scenario, and by eliminating superfluous things, you get down to the base element and the most direct path is a straight line,” he said. “That is the approach that I have taken over the last several months to address some of these problems.”Bunnell said he had three main goals he was aiming for through his efforts — reinforce Heber City’s brand, further refine that brand and present possible names for potential downtown elements the city could have in the future.He explored the city’s slogan, “Heart of the Wasatch Back,” and considered what it means for Heber City to be the county seat of Wasatch County. He commented on how it’s a growing community, as the town provides outdoor recreation access and city amenities and the opportunity that growth can bring to “shape the future that we want to see as opposed to feeling victimized that this is happening.”Heber City, he explained, is a “merger of old and new.”Then he pointed out similarities in many of downtown Heber City’s buildings: the Old Firehouse Building at 48 E. and 100 N., the Timberidge Custom Homes building across the street, the Olde Town Center at 32 S. Main St., buildings along the 100 S. and Main Street block.Buildings in the Olde Town Center along Main Street in Heber City on Tuesday. Credit: Clayton Steward/Park RecordBrick building on E 100 N street in Heber City on Tuesday morning. Credit: Clayton Steward/Park Record“Start to see a bit of a theme in our downtown,” Bunnell said. “The awnings, the bricks, the pediments.”He said that when he took a recent bike ride and road up and down the city’s C3 zone. On his trip through the downtown area, he said he noticed about 70% of the buildings use bricks.Referring to his Occam’s razor logic, he said he believes those bricks are part of Heber City’s brand.“Bricks are often seen as the building blocks of structures symbolizing a strong foundation, stability and durability, all great identity statements,” he continued. “They suggest something is built to last and can endure challenges over time.”Further, he said they represent hard work, dedication, persistence, community, protection, change and collaboration.“Bricks are often laid together to create a cohesive structure, lots of people working together to make a whole,” he said. “This can symbolize teamwork, unity, collaboration, highlighting how small, individual efforts can become something bigger.”Looking away from Heber City’s downtown and toward its residential areas, Bunnell said the council should look to address how and if they want to incentivize preserving historic homes, an effort Community Alliance for Main Street Director Rachel Kahler has begun to undertake.“I think we could go on forever on this,” Councilor Sid Ostergaard said. Specifically addressing possible downtown architectural guidelines, he seemed hesitant to get on board with bricks.“Architecture is so subjective,” he said. “I’ve been doing this for a little while, 20-plus years, designing buildings like this,” he said. “I don’t have the expertise to come in. I do, but I don’t, because I’m too close to Heber City. And I would rather have a professional come and give us some ideas, which, Ryan, you’re trying to do.”He agreed branding needs to be direct and simple but emphasized that he cares less about the architecture than he does the downtown spaces people will occupy.“What they respond to is the places that the architecture creates,” he said. “The alleys, the views and stuff like that.”He did agree that, no matter what the city chose in its future branding, it needs to be authentic.Councilor Scott Phillips considered the possibility of dictating broad parameters on new developments being built around the historic homes of Heber City, suggesting a possible mandate that 80% of a building has to be natural material like brick or wood.“It leaves room open for artistic license interpretation,” he said, “but you don’t have a row of three townhomes that are all painted yellow stucco, red stucco, green stucco with vinyl siding and a vinyl fence right next to a brick mansion.”Other also appreciated Bunnell getting the conversation rolling.“I do consider you to be a professional and an expert, and I appreciate having your input,” Councilor Mike Johnston said. “This is excellent, what you put together. … It’s made me think a lot.”The post Heber City leaders begin branding conversation appeared first on Park Record.