New Signs Are Wayfinders For Gallery Owners
Ed Fuentes
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The sleek, clean lines of new signage marking Gallery Row are an elegant contrast against the detailed architecture of Downtown's Historic Core. Despite taking a four-year off-and-on process to get done, the Community Redevelopment Agency-sponsored project may just prove to be very timely.
The idea to brand Gallery Row beyond the City's official blue neighborhood signs started at roughly the same time Gallery Row did. The area between 2nd and 9th, Spring and Main, was formally dedicated on May 15, 2004.
In the time since, the Downtown Art Walk's mindshare has far surpassed that of Gallery Row and the Gallery Row Organization.
The 25 signs go up at a time when the galleries are again attempting to set out on a branding and awareness effort. That push will again take place under the Gallery Row name.
Gallery owner and Downtown Art Walk founder Bert Green thinks the new signs and associated branding will be helpful. "We now have tools that are very useful," said Green. "The design includes window decals and a usage style book that was provided by the designer."
The project, which sat quietly for a few years, was revived again in 2007 and plodded along until late last month, when the signs were installed. Design work on the $95,000 project was done by Downtown firm Durfee | Regn in association with graphic designer Brian Roettinger.
keith on November 03, 2009, at 05:15PM – #1
Signage, seems like downtown lacks signs for other things as well, like the metro station - 7th & fig
Joe on November 03, 2009, at 06:08PM – #2
These signs actually look sort of British to me. Maybe that's just the style these days.
Brigham Yen on November 03, 2009, at 10:38PM – #3
I like them a lot. It looks simple and clean as well as sophisticated. I can see these signs inside Phillip Lim 3.1 store.
E. on November 04, 2009, at 07:47AM – #4
I like the signs. It's refreshing to see a nice font used, instead of one of the countless crappy ones.
Christophe Serafino on November 04, 2009, at 09:18AM – #5
I like them, I noticed one on Spring and 4th waiting for the DASH. Very clean.
Joe on November 04, 2009, at 04:54PM – #6
There are now more "Gallery Row" signs than there are galleries.
Bert Green on November 04, 2009, at 06:06PM – #7
Not quite, there are 36 galleries and museums, and 25 signs.
Ned on November 04, 2009, at 07:25PM – #8
That's almost a 1:1 ratio!
Overkill much? Or gallery underkill ??
Bert Green on November 04, 2009, at 07:32PM – #9
Considering there were 3 galleries in 2003 that's a pretty good growth rate. Anyway, the number of signs is meant to create an overall dotted-line pattern from above that defines the Gallery Row boundaries, so think of it as a conceptual art piece.
Ned on November 04, 2009, at 08:58PM – #10
From above?
Oh, so the Saatchi's can find Gallery Row when they helicopter in to stock up on authentic conceptual art!
Chic.
EGL2 on November 05, 2009, at 06:03PM – #11
We (Urban Design Studio) were asked to work with the CRA after the scheme was initially proposed. We selected a more restrained color (over a screaming orange) and helped improve the fasteners. Some folks thought they would not stand out; the result however is more elegant and complementary to the buildings. Glad you like them.
Now if we can begin to strip away all that other clutter of city signs and merge them into a simple consolidated standard.
out my window on November 06, 2009, at 10:49PM – #12
Forget about the art signs what's up with the art walk?