Throughout December, shoppers in the West End of London are being guided along their way by a new and innovative pedestrian wayfinding system created by those clever chaps at AIG. Called ‘Legible London’, it’s a prototype for a scheme that could be rolled out across the capital over the next few years. Aimed at increasing the number of journeys made on foot, and transforming London into one of the world’s most walking-friendly cities by 2015, the system uses interlinking signage, printed and digital maps, and online guides, to help pedestrians understand the complex maze that makes up the city.
To explain the thinking behind ‘Legible London’, a document called the‘Yellow Book’ was published. I wrote a 6,000-word essay outlining the aims, theories and stories that resulted in the prototype, and spent several days at AIG helping Tim Fendley and the rest of the team produce the ‘Yellow Book’ and an accompanying web site.
We all got there in the end...
After what seems like months (it was, actually) Bedell Group’s 2006 annual review has finally arrived hot off the presses. Designed by HGV, it features beautiful blind embossing on the front cover, and a single line which runs all the way through the book, making relevant points on relevant pages, and ending with the words ‘to be continued...’ on the back cover.
Bedell’s brief was to keep the tone approachable yet restrained and professional, which is successfully reflected in the copy as well as the design. As is the way with annual reports, the interviewing and writing process was a tough undertaking, but it turned out rather wonderfully in the end.
