OUGD505 - Studio Brief 2 - How can we best utilise space within cities? - The High Line

The High Line by Pentagram 

The Highline is a green space project that runs along a disused railway within New York. The Friends of the Highline was set as a community based project which helped save the structure. Pentegram created the branding for the group after which the simple identity was then used for the Highline itself. Pentagram created the promotional material, identity and wayfinding for the Highline.

The logo is simple and identifiable, reflecting the physical structure of the original train tracks. The design is refined down to minimal lines to reflect the concept creating a clean and simple aesthetic. The vertical nature of the design creates a sense of looking down at the line like the viewer is travelling along the line creating a sense of a journey.

The branding is used across a range of raw materials including metals. The use of the light greys allows the designs to stand out on the metal creating contrast, whilst also complementing the material that the design stands on,making the colour work well in the environment / context it is found in. 

Along the line there is light up wayfinding which allows visitors to experience the design and space in the dark making the route usable during the day and night.

The use of playful comments on plaques along the route make the journey along the railway engaging and fun. The difference in weight between the two lines of text in these designs creates contrast within the type highlighting key points. This makes the action known but in a light hearted way. The use of the grey plaque against the greenery and flowers stands out against its surroundings making the signs clear and playing with the idea of a plant label.

The colour scheme is suitable for different environments with the light colours, white and green, standing out on the metal within the environment and the white grey standing out against the plants. The colours contrast against the materials and opposing environments along The Highline.

The use of a slab serif type for the design is reminiscent of the forms created within the track line logo with the serifs capping the letters off creating parallel lines within the type. The use of a light and bold variation of this allows information to be prioritised making instructions clear within the designs.

The use of an off white paper allows the rest of the colour scheme to stand out whilst creating an organic look. This allows the imagery to stand out, whilst creating a natural aesthetic in a similar style to a newsletter or newspaper, which is low cost. The light stock allows all the colours scheme to be used over the top including the light greys. 

Using type over the top of the images with a white opacity lets the type stand out, whilst becoming part of the image allowing the image beneath to show through, creating a natural integration between imagery and type. The use of full bleed imagery allows a sense of place to be created, whilst using the logo over the top with an even lower opacity is a clever way of integrating the branding with the imagery.

The use of white T - Shirts make volunteers clear and easy to see in their surroundings. Setting the type so that the two lines of text take up the space reflects the parallel nature of the railway. Contrast in weight of the type is used to create hierarchy. The design is simple and minimal making it low cost to produce, whilst the vibrant green and white combination stands out well against the rest of the garden space.