Providing many of the features of a slick big-city or national park kiosk, is this modest homemade information stand seen in rural Oregon. It has a map, destination lists, visuals and explanations of local attractions, a place to post notices – even a trash can. The humble structure embodies many… Read more »
There’s a beautiful sculpture in Glendale CA, not far from Hunt Design. The simple structure is a 24-foot tall, stacked address number, in Helvetica Bold, and painted lime green. There are many address numbers that blur the line between signage and sculpture, but this one stands out because of its… Read more »
Creative and profitable re-use of underutilized commercial property is all the rage these days, but seldom do you see examples as literal and successful as this gas station-now-taco stand in Pasadena. The design is smart and minimal – just add tables and colorful umbrellas. Sitting among the gas pumps with… Read more »
A dozen top theme park art directors could not come up with a place like this beloved and wacky restaurant. Festooned wall to wall and front to back with posters, photos, historic objects, menu suggestions and colorful objects, the ‘delly’ is the Main Street delight of historic Annapolis, Maryland. Tight,… Read more »
Small bits of animated color add much to any environment. Color provides depth, definition and drama to otherwise neutral vistas. Color is counterpoint and contrast. Take out color and the resulting monochrome scene is just not the same.
They’re everywhere. On walls, in the sidewalk, on bridges, in parks and on statues. Bronze plaques commemorating somebody or something are familiar and friendly elements of the streetscape. Easy to overlook, and sometimes boring to read, these cast metal panels tell the stories of a place’s past. Who did what… Read more »
Oracle Bones By Peter Hessler (Harper Perennial) If you want to understand what’s happening in China – the single greatest urban migration and most massive urban development in history – this book is for you. In this rich first-person account about a handful of young educated Chinese who leave their… Read more »
The new becomes old quickly, especially in Los Angeles. It has been only twenty-six years since the City of Angels hosted the 1984 Olympics, but the celebrated and successful event is now just a memory. However, the famous Stars in Motion logo, by the late designer Robert Miles Runyan, can… Read more »
Graffiti is awful and usually degrades any environment. But here is an interesting New York public art installation using the medium, technology and even the letterforms of graffiti.
We get a lot of professional design magazines – graphics, architecture, product design, exhibit design, but one of our favorites is the consumer publication Metropolis. This architecture and design-centric publication is always interesting, topical, well edited and makes design accessible not only to the public, but to us professionals as… Read more »