The management of a community inevitably passes through the management of its image, in a combination of visible material aspects that guarantee visual unity and also intangible aspects, built in the social imaginary. Thus, Design acts as a mediator in the consolidation of identity images, by appropriating the symbolic elements and identifiers of the local communities, guaranteeing a communication and the recognition of their material and immaterial values. This work presents the design as a determining social factor in the construction of the identity of local communities. It is hoped to understand the dynamics of the symbols that determine their values and constitute their identities. By the qualitative method, a data survey was carried out, preceded by a bibliographical review. Among the results it is highlighted that the production of identities is intrinsically linked to the domain of culture. It can rely on the past or what it is meant to be. From the different cultural meanings, the symbols are ordered and classified. Symbolic systems are the source of characterization of any and all identity.