Hundreds of Planners Log-On to Talk About Downtown Signage
Let’s set the scene. It’s Downtown Somewhere and planners are going back and forth about sign codes. One planner suggests that all signs have the same fonts and colors. A good idea?
Actually, not a good idea – but a really good question. And that’s the kind of lively Q&A that took place recently during a webinar by the American Planning Association. The online presentation was called “Signs and the Downtown Experience” and was part of a new project by The Signage Foundation Inc. (SFI). The interactive discussion was a huge hit as more than 300 planners from around the country logged on to participate. The goal of the webinar was to educate planners, economic development officials, retailers and sign companies on the role that visible and innovative signs play in our communities.
Planners learned how to maximize the value of their urban brand and enhance the downtown experience in their communities. The project focuses on the impact of different design approaches and strategies for exterior landmark signs, digital dynamic signs, and urban wayfinding, with the ultimate goal of creating a clearer picture of how effective signs can improve commercial establishments and the downtown environment.
“Signs and the Downtown Experience” was developed by Craig Berger, Associate Chair of the Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design Program at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. For more information, please contact David Hickey.
