David Smith and the art of sign writing

With so much horrendously kerned insensitive type and signage about, it is inspiring and reassuring to see the work of David Smith, an English sign writer. Perpetuating the tradition of hand cut, gilded ornamental glass signs, he creates the magnificent signs that can be found in pubs throughout Great Britain. A master class in typography and the art of sign writing.

Paul is on Behance Network

www.behance.net/paulvickers

Rubberband Alphabet

Brilliantly observed typeface by eylab via accidental mysteries.blogspot.com

Retail design at St Pancras International Station

Sourced Market, recently opened at London's St Pancras station, is a great example of station retailing and food services.

It has all the ambiance and quality ingredients of an outdoor market, locally sourced food, fine wines and great design by Shaun Clarkson and branding by Thoughtmatic. An original concept for a rail station. Also at St Pancras is the Grand Champagne Bar, ideal for a drink before boarding the Euro Star.

As someone who travels through Paris’s Gare d’Austerlitz station almost every week, I wish the SNCF would upgrade the quality of services offered here, the overall interior design and furnishings which do not appear to have been touched for 50 years.

When we lived in New York I travelled through Grand Central Station each day. A great restaurant overlooks the main ticket hall and on the lower level there is the Grand Central Oyster Bar. With quality services, restaurants and retailing, rail stations can become a genuine destination and an experience, not just a functional travel hub.
Top images St Pancras, last image Gare d'Austerlitz

Logorama - the world of brands

Logorama from Marc Altshuler - Human Music on Vimeo.

For those that have not seen it, the Oscar winning animated film by François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy and Ludovic Houplain of H5 French film collective, starring 3 000 logos. Four years in production, it opened the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and won a 2010 academy award in the category of animated short film.

World's first billboard written entirely by bees

SOS - Save Our Swarm - is the first message ever written by bees. 100 000 bees attracted by the Pheromone of a Queen Bee spell out the message for Plan Bee, an environmental agency, in Devon. Creating quite a buzz!