A simple painted wall -
t h e ef f ec t s
UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY | SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ADAM COOK
Advanced Graphic Design (AR 5710 / AR 3710) Term I - Fall 2013-2014 Becky Nix
W ha t happ ens when s ite i s n o l o n g e r v i e w e d i n a pl an ori entati on? When el evati on becomes the si te, visual int er est begins t o t a k e sh ap e. T his v is ual i n te re s t, i n D e tro i t, ta k e s the form of adverti sement al ong open stretches of br ick f acades. T he se paint ed walls b e c o m e a n i n te re s ti n g d i a l ogue betw een the success of the busi ness and ti me. While f r ont f acades ar e a lw ays de t ailed wit h b e tte r m a te ri a l s , l e a v i n g th e si des to the seemi ngl y l eftovers. The addi ti on of the paint begins t o t r ansf or m t h is n oti o n. W hen f ir s t d o n e , th e s e n e w p a i n te d surfaces gi ve new l i fe to not onl y the bui l di ng but al so t he business t hey ar e c overi ng. I t s end s a p o s i ti v e me s s a g e to a n y p a s ser-by, that thi s l ocati on i s successful and reputabl e . Beyond th e i n i t i a l v i s u a l a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e s e s i gns, they begin to talk about what the service they provide is, whether it is a ba r, res t aur ant , aut o s e rv i c e c e n te r, o r a n y n u m ber of other busi nesses. The nature of the graphi c r epr esent at ion st ar t s t o t a lk about whom t heir t a rg e t a u d i e n c e i s . C a re fu l l y sel ected w ords to i ndi cate thei r i ntenti ons, and i n f or m t heir audience wit h mini mal sy m b ols s o t ha t i n fo rm a ti o n i s n o t mi s c o nstrued. W hi l e th es e lar g e s ig n s a re m e a n t to a ttra c t th e attenti on of those that are approachi ng vi a car, and r ely t heir inf or m at ion q u ic kl y a nd ef f ect iv ely . I s th e re a w a y to i m p l e ment the si gns to the enti re bui l di ng, so that the bui l di ng is a sign in it self ?
By maki ng t he b uild in g a n i ma g e , th e b u i l d i n g becomes the si gn and the si gn becomes the bui l ding, t hus br anding t he b u il di n g. I t b ecom es a ma rk e r, a l a n d ma rk th a t is surroundi ng; recogni zabl e from al l si des, not j ust per pendicular t o t r af f ic. T hi s c onv er s at ion b eg in s to s p e a k a b o u t w h a t a busi ness i s measured by. Is based on the si gn, the physical m anif est at ion of a b u il di n g o r t he ap p ear a n c e , th a t w h i c h a ttra c ts b usi ness? When does the materi al appearance no l onger becom e r elevant and visua l i nter es t r eig ns s u p re m e ? I f e v e ry b u i l d i n g were to be pai nted, do the patterns escal ate, i n order t o st and out and not be lost i n a s ea of color ? D o e s i n te re s t b e c o m e m o re tai l ored to w hat peopl e are i nterested i n, si mi l ar to venue, one at t ends what t h ei r i nter es t is , r at her th a n th e d o o r w i th b ri c k faรงade and hope w hat l i es beneath i s up to par?
W he n dealing wit h p ain te d s i g n s , a c ri ti c a l fa c to r to consi der i s ti me. The pai nt i s the uni t of measurem ent f or t im e: weat her a nd age. T he once p r o mi n e n tl y b ri g h t s i g n b e g i n s to fade and peal . Does thi s become a refl ecti on of t he occupant s? When d o es a n i nt er v ent ion m a k e s e n s e w i th a c o n d i ti o n that cannot be made permanent? A s ti me and age w i ll af f ect all int er vent ions, w ha t make s s ens e cons i d e ri n g th e l o c a ti o n o f s u ch pai nt? Shoul d these condi ti ons be taken dow n w he n t hey no longer m eet a given stan d a r d ?
A simple painted wall -
t h e ef f ec t s
UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY | SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ADAM COOK
Advanced Graphic Design (AR 5710 / AR 3710) Term I - Fall 2013-2014 Becky Nix