Year
Category
Specifications
26 Pages
05-2022
Category
Book
Specifications
8” x 10”
26 Pages
Project
Chicago ‘L’ Signage Lookbook
“Running through alleys and backyards, in deep underground tunnels, between highway lanes, over the streets and down the skyscraper canyons of the Windy City; the Chicago ‘L’. The first rails of this magnificent system were first hoisted over the streets in 1892 and quickly grew to connect the rising city situated in the vast Illinois prairie. The ‘L’ is an architectural marvel of its own, a uniquely Chicagoan feature. Sure, New York has its fair share of elevated track running over its streets but thanks to the relatively compact rail car sizes, the ‘L’ squeezes through the narrowest of alleyways and twisting and turning around the tightest curves.
There is nothing in America like the ‘L’, or the world for that matter. Chicago has historically been at the center of architecture and design, being the birthplace of the skyscraper and countless design styles and trends. The Chicago ‘L’s branding and signage have undergone numerous changes since the initial inception of the system and today’s visual design is the result of over 130 years of evolution. Presented here is a sample of ‘L’ typographic signage. The signage specimens within these pages were recreated as faithfully as possible in Adobe Illustrator from both direct observation and from photographs. This is the Chicago ‘L’.”
Chicago ‘L’ Signage Lookbook
“Running through alleys and backyards, in deep underground tunnels, between highway lanes, over the streets and down the skyscraper canyons of the Windy City; the Chicago ‘L’. The first rails of this magnificent system were first hoisted over the streets in 1892 and quickly grew to connect the rising city situated in the vast Illinois prairie. The ‘L’ is an architectural marvel of its own, a uniquely Chicagoan feature. Sure, New York has its fair share of elevated track running over its streets but thanks to the relatively compact rail car sizes, the ‘L’ squeezes through the narrowest of alleyways and twisting and turning around the tightest curves.
There is nothing in America like the ‘L’, or the world for that matter. Chicago has historically been at the center of architecture and design, being the birthplace of the skyscraper and countless design styles and trends. The Chicago ‘L’s branding and signage have undergone numerous changes since the initial inception of the system and today’s visual design is the result of over 130 years of evolution. Presented here is a sample of ‘L’ typographic signage. The signage specimens within these pages were recreated as faithfully as possible in Adobe Illustrator from both direct observation and from photographs. This is the Chicago ‘L’.”
