Ilana Steenkamp URBAN DESIGN + PLANNING + ARCHITECTURE
"VOX POPS"
NYC POPS Logo Competition
"VOX POPS"
Entry for NYC POPS Logo Competition,
for Privately Owned Public Space,
New York
POPS stands for Privately Owned Public Spaces. These spaces are all over New York, providing little oases within the dense urban fabric.
The design focuses on the social aspect of the Privately-Owned Public Spaces and their contribution to the vibrant social democracy of the cityscape.
The logo’s silhouette mimics the shape of a speech bubble, intended to symbolize a space that allows the public to have a “voice” within the city. This plays on the idea of the public sphere as a space for social engagement and dialogue, as well as a space of gathering and respite within the US’s densest and most populous city.
Whether adjacent to a calm green lawn, a bustling hardscape or a small interstitial space, the logo is meant to both give identity and act as a wayfinding indicator. Rather than an abstract graphical element, the design acts as signage, while also providing visual cues about the role of public spaces.
This design was done with a Stephanie He as the ZGF Architects entry to the POPS Logo Competition.
