British Library
St Pancras station
King’s Cross Station
319—321 Gray’s Inn Road
Road traffic signs
Cent. London T&E Hosp.
Royal Free Hospital
Parsons’ Library
R L Homœopathic Hospital
British Monomarks
Faraday House
Central Saint Martins
Pharmaceutical Soc.
British Museum
Dairy Supply Co.
Smith’s umbrellas
Lavers & Barraud
Underground station
27–29 Long Acre
Street names
The Coliseum
Pedestrian signage
St Martin’s Schools
St Martin’s/Fields
Sainsbury Wing
Further reading
Background
Credits
Image bibliography
Exploiting context

Background

This project

This walk (originally prepared for the 1997 ATypI conference) concentrates on larger examples of public lettering and doesn’t mention incidentals – stop–cocks, manholes, dates on buildings, builders marks, &c – of which there is much en route. Much of the pleasure of this kind of walk, is finding things yourself. Although also ‘public’, it entirely ignores advertising hoardings, store signs and most corporate identities as these are usually approached as pieces of graphic design rather than opportunities for specialist, site–specific lettering.


This project has been as a beta to support a proposal for a project under consideration which would include a much larger store of information on public lettering and signage. We would really appreciate any feedback you have. If you have a query, comment or correction regarding the content, then send a mail to Phil Baines. We would also really like to hear your thoughts on the interface and site design in general. Did you find any bugs or experience any problems? Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn't? please mail either Jack or George and let us know.


Development of this project

Phil Baines is curator (with Catherine Dixon) of the Central Lettering Record (CLR) at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design. The meta information and structure for this site has been developed to include a much larger and more diverse volume of like content. The CLR has over 10,000 photographs among its collection, mainly by Nicholas Biddulph (its founder) and Nicolete Gray. Recently Alan Bartram donated his photographic archive to the collection. We are currently looking to develop a repository to include the CLR.


Phil Baines Copyright © 1997, 2002