Beauty in Time Square

Project Goal:To start with the simple concept  of a tree and see where it took the designers artistically. The idea of the 185 banners was to provide passers-bys with a beautiful aesthetically pleasing break from the bright lights and signs that make up New York's Time Square as well as spread the awareness of the depleting tree problem. The idea was that not everyone who saw the posters would get the idea of sustainability instantly, but more just to get them to think about nature within the city.

Initial Concept and Approach:

One of the talented young designers involved in the Urban Forest Project was student Wednesday Trotto. She began this project having no knowledge in gra

phic design. Until she met Emma Presler, a professional designer and board member of the AIGA for the New York chapter. The saying, "If a tree falls in the woods, will someone hear it," was the basis for their inspiration. The birds on their banner symbolically "carry the sound of a lonely tree, falling on nonexistent ears." I thought it was very cool that not just professional designers were involved in this project. There were a total of 22 mentor and student pairs who participated in this project! I wish that I could have been a part of it.

Client/Designers:

The idea for this project was started by Mark Randall, prinicpal of WorldStudios. Mark stated that the idea for the Urban Forest Project was started because WorldStudios is always looking for a creative way to spread environmental and social issues. When giving the assignment to designers, Randall told them that they could explore trees in a "variety of different ways, with messages of politics and the envrionment." Sustainability was not their ultimate message as he just wanted the designers to have fun and make an entertaining statement. The only requirement that was given was to make the posters out of some  form of plastic.

Solution:

After the posters hung throughout the streets of New York for several months, they were send to travel bag designer Jack Spade. From there, he turned the banners into tote bags, which were eventually auctioned off. This way, the idea of sustainability can be spread by sustaining the life of not only the banners, but the designers as well.