Russell Design

SPACEMAN, RESEARCHER, TEACHER, MENTOR William Hollingsworth "Holly" Whyte (October 1, 1917January 12, 1999) was an American urbanist, journalist and people-watcher. His influential book City: Rediscovering the Center (1988) presented his conclusions about jaywalking, 'schmoozing patterns,' the use of urban plazas, appropriate sidewalk width, and other vital planning issues. With research assistants wielding cameras and notebooks, Whyte described the substance of urban life in an objective and measurable way. This work remains valuable because it is based on careful observation, and because it contradicts conventional wisdom, for instance, the idea that pedestrians and vehicles should be separated. Buy it on Amazon (it’s still in print) or download the PDF at SCRIBD online.

HOW DO YOU GET A BILLION PEOPLE TO COMMUNICATE? The Indian constitution recognizes 22 official (or scheduled) languages, with Hindi and English spoken by just 35% of the 1.2 billion people that populate this vast sub-continent. Other languages include Gujarati, Manipuri, Santhali, Oriya and Telugu, all deemed official and encouraged so they do not become extinct. This beautiful font, Kohinoor, designed by Indian Type Foundry (ITF), is compatible with three of the most commonly used writing scripts and was aimed at bringing uniformity across a number of languages, allowing them to be used on computers, thereby reducing the likelihood of extinction.

Although icons are used universally and are the fastest way to connect with or convey information, few people question what they actually mean or represent. Not so Sara Hendren and Brian Glenny, designers of the Accessible Icon, in their minds a more meaningful representation of what it means to be disabled and what the designers hope will replace the decades-old International Symbol of Access (inset). Unlike the existing icon, in which the wheelchair user looks passive and i...s ready to be pushed to a destination, the new one shows a person in forward motiona driver in charge of his or her own fate. At the same time, they propose that the word handicapped be replaced simply with Reserved for permit holders only where necessary. International disability advocate Keith Jones says that 18% of Americans live with disabilities and are thriving in every sector of American life. They should not be represented by a symbol that says ‘push me.’ Not everyone agrees with the change; some feel that the new icon makes an unnecessary judgment about those with more severe disabilities (such as spinal muscular atrophy). Adoption of the new icon is proving to be difficult as Federal and certain State authorities argue over approval for its use, the Feds of course not wanting change. See more

ARE MALLS MAKING A COMEBACK? Wayfinding and signage projects at three malls currently in process at Russell Design will provide a positive response. In collaboration with S9 Architects, The Shops at SkyView Center, Staten Island Mall, and Kings Plaza Shopping Center are all in the process of renovating. For years, commercial real estate analysts have predicted the death of shopping malls although recent industry data shows that despite sweeping closures, online shopping and t...hinning foot traffic, malls are far from dead. And as consumer expectations of the retail experience are shifting, many malls are finding new life by returning to their roots as community hubs. When the first fully enclosed, climate-controlled mall (pictured here), opened in 1956 in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina, the two-level, 500-acre, 74-store Southdale Center featured a center court envisioned by architect Victor Gruen as a town square with European architectural elements like arcades, gallerias, plants hanging from the balconies, and plenty of space for people to mingle. Included was a fish pond, large faux trees, and a 21-foot cage filled with birds. Perhaps the birds won't be back, but some of the original visioning probably will. http://www.businessinsider.com/first-shopping-mall-us-south

DOCUMENTING AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS In 1986, an impressive collection of inspection reports for bridges in the National Park System surfaced; the artistic, technological, and historic qualities of the bridges prompted a more comprehensive documentation compiled to the standards of Historic American Engineering Record, a division of NPS. Bridges were the starting point, but since the engineers had integrated these so carefully into their natural settings, it was determined that landscape design and associated features, including signage, should also be included. Shown here is the signage page for Gettysburg Battlefield. The 31 reports ranging from Yosemite to Bronx River Parkway were compiled into an impressive large format, 380-page volume published by The Johns Hopkins University Press, still available from Amazon and others.