Red logo of Horizon Central City Church featuring a stylized cross and text in block font.

Horizon Central at CityWay

Horizon Central Church serves the downtown Indianapolis community and beyond, offering a modern, welcoming space for all. The brand reflects a forward-thinking vision, symbolizing a look from the present horizon into the future. The identity is designed to be fresh, non-traditional, and distinctive, fitting seamlessly with the vibrant City Way area and its surroundings.

Deliverables

▸ Discovery

▸ Brand Identity Design

▸ Typography

▸ Color Palette

▸ Signage & Collateral

3D illustration of a red arrow pointing to the right, within a black and white box.

Designed With Vision. Built for Impact.

A New Bold Identity for The Future

Horizon Central’s former identity lacked clarity and energy—misaligned with the vibrant, forward-thinking spirit of the church. The refreshed mark simplifies the message while injecting modernity and strength. Designed to reflect momentum, warmth, and place, the new look positions Horizon as a cornerstone in the CityWay community.

Horizon Central logo featuring a black square with a circle and crosshair design in red, white, and blue, with the text "Horizon Central" and a slogan below.

Original Identity

Logo for Horizon Central CityWay Church on a red background.

Elevated Identity

See How We Got Here

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3D red and black combine logo resembling a letter E in a modern geometric design

A Brand Identity Made to Reflect the Future

A refreshed brand identity for a church with timeless values, bold community presence, and vision that looks forward—just like its people.

01.

Discovery

We began by listening—understanding the church’s mission, the diverse people it serves, and the disconnect between the old identity and how Horizon shows up today. The brand needed to reflect growth, relevance, and a welcoming spirit.

02.

Defined

We translated insights into a clear direction: the brand had to feel fresh, non-traditional, and rooted in the dynamic City Way neighborhood. Core values—openness, forward momentum, and connection—shaped the foundation of the new identity.

03.

Developed

The new mark was built to be bold yet welcoming. By simplifying visual clutter and introducing clean, geometric elements, we created a logo that captures movement and modernity—symbolizing both a literal and metaphorical horizon.

04.

Delivery

The identity system was rolled out with flexibility in mind, built to scale across signage, print, digital, and more. The final result? A modern visual identity that feels right at home in a vibrant, evolving city—and invites people in.

Into The Work

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Logo of Horizon Central church with a square target symbol and the text 'Horizon Central' and 'An Indianapolis church with an international outlook'.

Original Logo

01 — Before the First Sketch

Development Process

We started by grounding the work in purpose—getting clear on the brand’s mission and how it needed to show up for its people. After unpacking the current logo’s meaning and limitations, we explored core values like warmth, growth, and clarity. That insight revealed the disconnect: the old mark aimed to say a lot, but didn’t speak clearly. The goal? A design that could carry meaning and feel modern, open, and true to the brand’s voice.

Page displaying various handwritten symbols and characters in black ink, arranged in rows and columns.

Rough Draft Sketches & Concepts.

Various black and white logos and symbols arranged randomly on a white surface, including bowtie shapes and stylized letters.

Rough Draft Sketches & Concepts.

Sheet of paper with various black symbols and letters, including 'HF,' 'IN,' 'Z,' 'H,' and other geometric and stylized characters, arranged in a pattern.

Rough Draft Sketches & Concepts.

Hand-drawn clock, plus sign, and snowman symbols on dotted paper.

Rough Draft Sketches & Concepts.

A sheet with many different symbols or characters written with black marker, some overlapping, in a systematic pattern.

Rough Draft Sketches & Concepts.

A minimalistic black ink drawing of a face, with two vertical lines representing eyes and a semi-circle representing the mouth, on dotted paper.
Black graffiti of a letter 'C' and 'T' on a white textured wall.

Emerged Sketches

Hand-drawn telecommunications tower or radio antenna on white dotted background.

An Emerged Concept

Minimalist black icon of a face with two vertical lines for eyes and a half-circle mouth on a white background.

Concept - Letter H. Rising sun, reflects the meaning of “Horizon”.

Black paint marks forming the letter 'C' and a T shape on a white textured ceiling.

Emerged Concept B

Black geometric logo with interlocking shapes on a white background.

Concept B - Combo of letter C from “CityWay” and H from “Horizon”

Illustration of the chemistry of the benzene ring with labels for 'H' as horizon, 'C' as central, 'O' as Indianapolis circle, and a final mark symbol.

Equation of the Final Mark

02 — Design DNA

The Brand Elements

Grounded Design System

From color to type, each element was chosen to express warmth, energy, and modern clarity. The palette blends vibrancy with depth—reds that feel alive, neutrals that keep things grounded. The typography is structured yet soft, bringing a human quality to every touchpoint. Together, they form a flexible foundation for a brand that leads with purpose and feels right at home.

Typography

Lexend and Effra are the ideal fonts for this brand identity project because they combine clean lines with modern readability, reflecting the vibrant and edgy atmosphere of downtown. The contemporary design aligns with the brand’s urban and dynamic personality, while maintaining a welcoming, approachable feel that suits the heart of the city.

A palette of four color swatches with their hex codes: bright red (#E10101), dark red (#5F0606), gray (#A4A4A4), and white (#FFFFFF).

Color Pallette

Deep red and maroon evoke warmth, passion, and confidence, reflecting the brand's dynamic energy, while gray adds sophistication and balance. White provides clarity and simplicity, ensuring a clean, modern, and welcoming identity that aligns with the vibrant spirit of downtown.

Color Palette

3D red and dark red geometric shape resembling the letter 'E' with 3D effect and perspective

03 — Mark Making

This Wasn’t Just a Move—it was a Reset.

Mark Evolution

As Horizon Central prepared to relocate from a historic neighborhood to the heart of downtown Indianapolis, the brand needed to evolve to meet the moment. The new home—CityWay—is modern, clean, and vibrant. The updated brand mark reflects that shift. Built from the initials “H” and “C,” the symbol draws inspiration from the iconic downtown Indianapolis circle, integrating its geometry while forming a bold, directional mark that signals movement, clarity, and welcome. It honors the legacy of the church while aligning visually with the contemporary energy of its new environment. This wasn’t just a move—it was a reset. And the new identity rises to meet it.

Logo for Horizon Central, an Indianapolis church with an international outlook, featuring a black square with blue and red lines forming a cross and circle, and the text 'Horizon Central' with tagline

The Old Mark

  • Intent: The original logo aimed to communicate global reach and spiritual direction, using intersecting arrows and a central target.
  • Issues: While conceptually ambitious, the mark was visually rigid and overly technical. It resembled a coordinate grid or a military crosshair—conveying precision but lacking warmth or clarity.
  • Limitations: Too literal and complex. The design didn’t translate well at small sizes and lacked emotional resonance.
Logo for Horizon Central CityWay Church with a stylized church door icon and red background.

The New Mark

  • Intentional Simplicity: The new identity mark fuses an abstract “H” and “C” into one cohesive, confident form.
  • Symbolic Weight: The open arms of the “H” subtly invite—echoing the church’s welcoming posture. The “C” tucks in as a sheltering curve, hinting at care and community.
  • Modern & Scalable: Bold geometry that holds up across digital and print, large and small—versatile and future-facing.

Identity Applied

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Horizon Central church sign with red and white colors, advertising worship service in the Ruth Lilly at 10 a.m.
A stack of business cards for Horizon Central Cityway Church, featuring a red and white color scheme. The cards display the church's logo, the name Senior Pastor & Founder David Kosobucki, and contact information including phone number, email, and we
The logo of Horizon Central CityWay Church with red and black geometric design and text on a glass door or window.
Sign for Horizon Central at CityWay Church featuring David Kosobucki, Lead Pastor, with a logo at the top, mounted on a white wall.
A vertical banner for Horizon Central CityWay Church in Indianapolis, with red and white colors, featuring the church's logo, the slogan 'Find Your New Horizon in Christ,' and information about its international outlook.
A church billboard with a red background displaying the message 'Find Your New Horizon In Christ,' featuring a diverse group of smiling people, with the church's logo and name, Horizon Central at Cityway Church, in the lower left corner.
Vertical banner for Horizon Central CityWay Church with red and white design, featuring church logo and text encouraging finding a new horizon in Christ, and describing the church as an Indianapolis church with an international outlook.
Red lanyard with a plastic badge holder and a metal clip. The badge reads "Hello! My Name Is:" with space for a name, and features the Horizon Central logo and branding.
White t-shirt hanging on a wooden hanger against a red background. The shirt has a logo and text that reads 'Horizon Central CityWay Church'.
Red T-shirt with white logo and text for Horizon Central Cityway Church, laid on a white surface.
Three banners hanging from poles with a background of trees. Each banner displays the text "Find Your New Horizon in Christ!" along with the Horizon Central logo and website.
A pile of white and silver cans with a red and black logo on the top of each can.
3D red and black logo resembling the letter 'E' or a settings icon, with a cut-out middle section.

04 — Project Impacts

Brand Elevation Impact

The rebrand helped Horizon Central clarify its identity, strengthen community recognition, and build a visual system that supports future growth.

01

▸ Clear Brand Foundation

Crafted a bold, versatile identity rooted in purpose—reflecting both the church’s history and its move into a modern, urban environment.

02

▸ Stronger Visual Recognition

Developed a unique mark combining “H” and “C,” making it easy to recognize across signage, screens, and printed materials.

03

▸ Scalable Design System

Established a cohesive system of color, type, and logo assets that scales across Sunday service, outreach events, and digital channels.

04

▸ Community Alignment

Delivered a look and feel that resonates with both long-time members and new visitors—bridging legacy with what's next.

05

▸ Ready for Growth

Positioned the brand to confidently serve its expanding mission in the CityWay district and beyond.

Client Testimonial

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Smiling elderly man with glasses, wearing a blue shirt with pink lobster pattern, against a white background.

Horizon Lead Pastor

3D diagram showing a red block in the center connected to white blocks on the sides, depicted in a perspective view, with a black background.

Pastor David Kosobucki

"Gahrrett is professional, diligent, creative and uses his talents to serve the customer's needs. I give him five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, a thumbs up 👍🏻 and a heart ❤️ ..."

Verified review badge with red star and check mark

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