Sometimes a sign needs only letters – no actual sign panel. Think Hollywood Sign. And these sets of large letters not only provide identification, they lend an artistic, even sculptural feel to the streetscape. Armory Arts Center and Cisco Home, both in Pasadena
Same size. Same message. Different character.
Beautiful decorative clocks once enhanced downtown streets across America. Many of these architectural-scale timepieces were installed in the public way by jewelry stores and served as advertisements for an adjacent business. But the streetscape was the beneficiary – the clocks provided intermediate scale between buildings and people and like awnings… Read more »
Santa Barbara, California is a great place for many reasons – historic architecture, terrific beaches, wonderful downtown, perfect weather, etc. But, sometimes it’s the little details that catch the eye. Like the elegant bronze street name signs in the pavement at each of the intersections along famous State Street. In… Read more »
An early example of public art, this colorful storage tank still delights drivers on Massachusetts I-93 expressway. The artwork by the late artist Corita Kent was first painted in 1971.
Evolved from surgical signs dating back to the Middle Ages, the striped barber pole is recognizable on thousands of barbershops around the world. Whether spinning, static or even flat, the red, white and blue diagonal stripes signal a specific service.
A great example of out-of-control city signage. Six mismatched signs, all clinging to a single light pole. Different fonts; different font sizes; mismatched arrows; random sign panel sizes; haphazard installation. If there was ever a case for an organized city wayfinding program, this is it.
A distracted man, oblivious to his public art companion, seen in Walnut Creek, California.
While we frequently point out our favorite signs, we also feel the need to expose the not-so-good. Here, to communicate that Ninth Street becomes one-way east, the City has erected this ungainly traffic control/guide sign right in the middle of the street. Stickers, vandalism and damage don’t help the situation…. Read more »