I had the opportunity to attend AIGA’s event, Navigating the Labyrinth: Unimark International and the New York Subway System. Among the evening’s speakers were Massimo Vignelli, Tom Geismar and Lance Wyman. Highlights included lively exchanges between Vignelli (one of the designers of the original subway system) and past and present heads of the MTA design department. Mr. Vignelli was gracious enough to sign my copy of the original 1972 subway map! eBay, here I come!

Bill Moggridge, designer and advocate, has made a lasting impact on everyday life.  It only seems fitting to take the post as director of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum…

[ ideo.com ]

Resource: Mark Brown, arts correspondent

culture>books>British Library

Recorded as the largest book in the world, the Klencke Atlas has never been displayed with its pages open.  This summer, the British Library has a great exhibition featuring 100 maps

check out the article; beautiful art that’s been strangely overlooked will have the spotlight…

[www.guardian.co.uk]

Resource:  NY Times Wheels –  The Ford Logo That Almost Was

by Phil Patton

It’s always amazing to learn about the history of a brand, its impression and its legacy.  As Ford announces it is in “in the black”, Phil Patton takes an interesting look into an image that holds strong…

[ NY Times.com ]

Outside our office there’s a construction site that up until today, was surrounded by your standard blue-wood boring walls. This morning however, I saw this instead:

Maya Barkai photographed the well known pedestrian traffic light “walking-men” from around the world. Ninety-nine variations are shown in full size and wrap around the 99 Church Street site (home to a future Silverstein Properties condo-hotel combo that will be the tallest residential building in downtown.)

Seems like a great way to liven up an otherwise drab scene. Berlin’s man is still may favorite. He practically has no body:

[walking-men.com]