Signages in Chicago(Final Project)
For the final project, I included a theme that I used in a previous week. Signages. What are they and what is their purpose? In a rephrase in my previous week, I explained that these Signages can make a city more living. And its signages in the city can be more eye catching and breathtaking, due to their iconic stylish and big looking text. But signs are not just for making the cities more alive. Another thing that these signages can do is to help you find your ways as these signs can be some way to memorize them as you are going along your path. If for example your phone has ran out of battery which is where you look at your map, you might recognize the large signs that you have seen. Signs light those (that I will show you later) can help you find your destination. Like in week 3 in the article: “The art of noticing: Five ways to experience a city differently. The Guardian.” It explains ways to figure out where to go. In one of these steps sort of it wants you to memorize charming details across the city that can stick into your brain due to its astonishing look. And signs can be in great use for that also. But they can be everywhere also. But with every sign different can make the job easier. In a quote of the “Eat somewhere dubious” paragraph the person Gold said “But precisely because Pico is so unremarked, because it is left alone like old lawn furniture mouldering away in the side yard of a suburban house, it is at the centre of entry-level capitalism in central LA,” Gold wrote. The street cuts though a dizzying variety of diverse neighbourhoods, revealing multiple and overlapping visions of LA and its inhabitants. And that, he argued, made it “one of the most vital food streets in the world”. Which he meant that something that is so common around a city can still be memorized as long as everyone of them is unique. And that is what signages are for.
So I started my journey to downtown Chicago. As I get out at Lake station, one certain signage caught my mind which would be a good start for this whole essay. And that is the Chicago theatre sign. This image inspired me to make this whole theme and my previous essay. SO why this certain signage? The Red and White Chase Chicago sign is a very special sign to be seen throughout the city. Its pretty much the most iconic out of all with the old cultural style it has. This sign is already 100 years old back ago and its still standing. Signs like these can make a city more fashionable. And that is what I think about Chicago. A city that knows how to entertain its citizens.
As I walked west to Millennium park after taking Chicago Theatre, there were these water walls. And ever second they would always change to different type of individual. When I researched them, they were actual called Crown Fountain. Signages are supposed to be those with simple texts. But sometimes they can be images too. The reason why I took this one is how can a signage like this be so forgettable. Signs can be anything else. They can be symbols and images to recognize them more. And with a sign like this is why I took a photo of it. In a quote of “Black live matter mural painting” article, McCellan said “It was important to put it in a visible place,”. And where the signages are in a famous park where everyone goes there, this water wall can be seen by millions.
We come to day 2 for my project. As you can see I stopped at Lake once again to continue my project. But when I was out, I notice all the signs around the subway. It came to my surprise that these are considered as signages also. For example is the multi-colored vertical line paths. Each one is considered as a line for a certain route. And for multiple destinations. The reason why I took this one out off all because something like adding colors can really help those who have hard time remembering literal text. Colors can be symbols for humans like us to recognize and remember paths and routes easier. As I said again, simple signages can be helpful to many others, especially to those with disabilities.
The next image is a hotel signage located near the Trump Tower. This Signage and hotel is called the London House. London House unlike the other signs seems to be more modern. Chicago theatre was shown to be more classic while London house is preferred to be more new. But what makes it connected to the others and why? One things for sure is that age does not really matter. No matter its context or history, the thing that makes signages good are its art and style. Modern or classic, signages can bring peoples eyes glued into them. Like me for example. I always love modern and classic styles of anything form of structure or object.
For this picture, this will be a lead for my video that I recorded. This sign or signage is the Michigan Ave traffic light sign. Which is at the bridge that connects through the river of downtown Chicago. Signages like I said can be symbols of something large. The reason why I took this certain sign because how a small sign that looks simple can mean something huge out of the surroundings. We always think that when we see something that big and flashy it is the center of something big. But it can be also miniature things also. Signages like these can always have a big meaning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhYVe69YY4E
Here if you look at the video, it shows a nearby area of the Michigan ave sign. Its a area where the city connects itself physically as you can see the main bridge that helps us cross the river to the other sector of the city. This is why signs like these can be special too. This can illustrate the outside area of any sign like the Michigan sign. You can see vehicles like buses and cars passing by me to the bridge, heading in and out. And the people also walking the bridge. All of them closed together. This is why I also took this video. Because signages like these can bring many people together and being busy with one another. Like in the video How to make an attractive city. The narrator quoted that Areas where its busy can make someone more alive and more attention to it.
We come back to a more common signage. When I arrived to Chicago a few days before college actual started, my parents told me about this good pizza restaurant that was near Michigan ave. We went there and saw how it had many signs pointing at the restaurant to the entrance. And as we ordered there and went inside, I was amazed by the food they make there. It wanted me to return there one day and so I did. Signages can also give you the best experience in your life. That is the reason why I took this picture. Without a sign that can appeal people, you wouldn't gain a lot of attraction to customers. And a sign like this brought many people including me to visit this restaurant.
Words when they're written, they can be written in so many forms. Some can be written very fancy which can fascinate many people. Like the Chicago tribute signage for example. Through time, the sign as been changed many times. But even as it changed its foundations and originality still remains. And if we keep these certain pillars for a signage like this, it can still appeal to people in many generations. That is why I picked this special signage too.
Here in out last pick is a signage at a bus stop. Bus stops can take forever and can bore people without the necessary needs to appeal themselves. But if we add flavor to even bus stops, it could bring more people invested to ride one thins like buses. That is the reason why I choose this picture. Oh and the fact is why not promote more advertisements as the signage will always change its ads. With monitor signs that constantly change, it could keep people to stay on bus stops longer than just one. Like what many people say, the more the better.
Here in the map shows my process of where I was and the paths that were taken in different days. The yellow one is day 1 and the blue one is day 2. Both started from Lincoln park and stopped at lake station.
Here are two of my sketches that I have drew in my field guide notepad. I will elaborate them later as we move on to the final questions.
What have you learned about Chicago while creating this field guide?
This field guide shows me of becoming an adult and experiencing the city by yourself and coming with ideas that can make your project an phenomenon. It truly was fun experience to do and a fun project by just walking and figuring out ways to make your project.
