Globe Theater Timeline

I recently took a field-trip to the Globe Theater in Southwark. Although it is not the original theater where William Shakespeare's plays were preformed, it is a close to perfect replica. The interior is absolutely gorgeous, from the oak seats, to the thatch roof, and intricately decorated set, to the exhibit next door. The theater and exhibit give the visitor a great perception of what the Shakespearian times must have been like.

 The timeline below is located in the exhibit. This was the only lackluster part of the field-trip. The text is in a decorative font, with a mixture of colors to represent historical events and the various works of Shakespeare. It is very busy. It seems words are on it arbitrarily, rather then aligned and placed in a proper spot. There are awkward whit spaces, and the overlap of text, as well as mixture of bold and not bold text, make the timeline low in legibility and readability. It's unfortunate because this is very useful information to the visitor, but its layout and text choice doesn't allow for comprehension. 

Neon?

In various parts of London its guaranteed that you will see neon signs. They are usually advertising restaurants, hotels, clubs, bars, mini cabs, and a host of other goods and services. Simply put, these signs get the readers attention because of the stark color contrast, and the fact that they are more lit then the surrounding area. Using them in the city is perfectly reasonable for business owners, but the neon sign pictured below come from the Victoria and Albert Museum.

I found it to be very interesting that the museum featured these neon signs. The first is located in the entrance atrium. Hanging before it is a large blown glass chandelier, and behind it, is this centuries old piece. That raises the question, why is a white neon sign among such historic pieces? I don't like the placement decision of this sign, and question its relevance. In my opinion it doesn't belong in the very well lit, and architectural entrance way. 

The second sign makes more sense because it is located in a darker area of the museum. The sign itself goes along with the shoes and design elements located in the exhibit. I like the use of 3 different letterings. It contrasts well with the wall and the alignment makes it visually appealing. However, the "Pain" is not high in readability. All in all, I think the V&A could have made better design decisions. 

Way-finding

Throughout my life I have done an extensive amount of traveling. Whether it be in a car, bus, or all to often airplane, traveling is traveling. I had never given much though to the importance of way-finding before taking GRC 377. The world would be a much different place without the street signs, maps, highway exits, etc. that we use in daily life to get from point A to point B. I take for granted that in today's world it's very simple, and easy to get around, even in a foreign place such as London. Way-finding is what make this all possible.

Below I have picture two examples of way-finding in Heathrow Airport. The design is very simple, yet effective. The stark yellow background gets the attention of the person walking by. The black or blue lettering makes the message stand out because of the high level of contrast with the yellow. Accompanied is an arrow or symbol indicating where you want to go, and how you will get there. In an airport these are commonly used for finding gates, toilets, restaurants, exits, and a multitude of other things. With them, travel is made easy, but without them, then we would all be aimlessly stumbling around trying, and probably failing to find our next destination.

Guinness Branding

This weekend I took a trip to Dublin, Ireland. When you think Ireland, some of these things come to mind: four leaf clovers, leprechauns, green fields, beer, and well, Guinness. A major tourist attraction is visiting the Guinness Storehouse. People from around the world flock to the Storehouse to learn and experience the making of a pint of the ruby red, dark brew. The seven floor, approximately two hour tour, takes you through the movement from raw materials at the ground floor, to enjoying a pint in the sky view bar with a 360 degree view of Dublin. 

A part of Guinness branding is the recognizable typeface. It is a unique Old Style- Modern hybrid. The serifs flair out, giving it an element of Old Style, but the thin to thick n's hint at Modern. Whatever the style, the name and typeface of Guinness is known around the world. It's seen everywhere, pub signs, t-shirts, and of course, on every specially crafted pint. The typeface and lettering is an established part if the branding of the company. People everywhere recognize the beer by its name, represented in the unique typeface. Additionally, the golden heart is a symbol that goes with the typeface. Whether you're in the USA, London, or Dublin, you can always spot a Guinness. 

Stonehenge

I recently took a day trip to Stonehenge located in Wiltshire, England. The sight is famous around the world for it is the remains of a ring of standing stones set within earthworks. A group of friends and I headed out early in the morning, took a tour bus, and were able to see the stones, and enjoy the beautiful rolling his that surround them.

Once we returned to the parking lot, we saw the bus pictured below. The text is, for lack of a better term, ugly. The Stonehenge writing is in this large, uppercase decorative font. The font, in theory, should represent the beauty and antiquity of Stonehenge, but in my opinion it does the very opposite. The choice of lettering degrades the overall beauty of the sight in general. As well, the contrasting colors of yellow and purple is simply not appealing. Just based of the side of the bus I wouldn't want to ride on it. I think it would be in the best interest of this company to redesign their buses.

                                

I have also include some pictures from that wonderful day. 

Signage

Here are some examples of London street signs. Pictured below is Abbey Road and Parliament Square. 

Throughout London these signs are everywhere… fences, brick walls, on the side of the random corner house. Everyone sees them and relies on them for navigation throughout the city. 

The design is quite simple, yet effective. The San Serif text in black is the actual street, next to it is the first three characters of a postal code in red, and below, again in red is the part of London. There is no intricate design of the United Kingdom or something really decorative, just straight to the point. The colored letters contrast with the white background to make the words stand out. 

The all uppercase lettering is an interesting choice because it takes longer for the reader to fully understand the text when compared to using lowercase lettering. Perhaps the designer chose this for a more cohesive look. On all the signs the text is aligned, the kerning is equal, and so is the leading. 

Mind the Gap

To get around London many people resort to taking the Underground, or better known as "the tube". Just simply walk to your closest station with Oyster card in hand and you can go virtually anywhere in the city within a few minutes or an hour. Less expensive than a Taxi, less tiresome then walking, and just overall very convenient to the urban city dweller.

The Underground symbol has undergone various changes in design, to the now modern day pictured below. It's simple: a red ring around a blue sign, with Underground in white text. Most of the stations fall within this realm of simple design, with easy to follow signs and simple text. 

However, often you will come out of the station only to find older magnificent buildings. Just below a building that could have been built several hundred years ago, lies the modern system of transportation. Once you come above ground, the tube rider sees astonishing aspects of architecture. Towers, pillars, intricate stonework, beautiful windows, and so much more. London definitely maintains it's history, while still evolving and changing with the modern world. 

Notting Hill

Wondering the streets of Notting Hill, you'll come across numerous antique stores. The wonderful silver, sparkling jewels, and posters of years past. Portobello Market is where an antique style converges with the modern London city. 

On the left of the image there are street signs. Each has a uniform color, and Sans Serif text. The sign is easily read, with a simple message: blank, parking only. Yet hanging just to the right of these signs, there are others that call into play the antique style of Notting Hill. The colors are muted, not as vibrant, with a slightly darker hue. 

The antique signs feature characters such as Superman, Batman, and Wolverine. They are more playful, and can lend to a more creative decoration. Depending on the customers style, they have a choice to choose an antique sign that nods to the past, or a newer, simple sign that is more modern. 

Whatever your style, you can definitely find pleasing shops, restaurants, and places of interest in Notting Hill. 

London Street Art

Walking around the streets of London, one sees various street art. Paintings, cement drawings, post cards, and a personal favorite of mine: graffiti. London is a megacity, home to a diverse population from different background, and everyone has their own form self expression. Graffiti is such an activity. 

Walking in Southwark near the Imperial War Museum, I cam across this tattoo shop. Although the various types are in the decorative family, they are very different. The type, mixed with the colors, and images like skulls, a heart, and the skyline of London, make for an intriguing image. The above white sign seems to contrast with the metal garage door, but somehow it works. Sure they could have made a better choice, but I think that highlights to diversity styles and people of London. 

The Snap Story

If you live in the 21st Century, and are somewhat concerned with social media, then chances are you have a Snapchat account. If you have a Snapchat, then you probably use the handy Snap Story function to keep your friends up-to-date on your day. I do the same thing. Posting pictures and videos to my Story to show my friends and family what I'm actually doing here in London. The images can range from "selfies" to videos of an event.

To relay the location aspect of a story, Snapchat has recently, with the latest update, added many Geolocation functions also known as "geotags". All the user does is swipe left, through a host of filters, until these images come up. The image only comes up within the area, and knows you are there based on the GPS location of your phone. 

As related to design, these geotags come in a variety of designs, typographies, and colors. No two geotags are the same. Whenever I journey to a new part of London, I enjoy taking a snap and seeing the design of the geotag. They are a fun, yet cool way to let people know exactly where you are that people of all ages enjoy. Instead of the common white type that comes across the gray banner, geotags are the creative way to display a location.

Below are some images of the geotags from my own snap story.