Urban Signage Design: Problems and Prospects

Abstract

An urban sign is a polycode text, a visual media message created by a combination of different codes: verbal, architectural, compositional, graphic (including font), color, pictorial. Being one of the urgent issues of modern urban planning, urban signage design as part of the urban environment design requires an interdisciplinary approach. In addition to fundamental knowledge in the field of architecture and graphic design, one needs to possess legal knowledge (for legal regulation of design works, for distinguishing between a sign and an advertising structure), as well as linguistic knowledge (for the development of the verbal component of the sign and the polycode text). The article analyzes the attempts to regulate the urban design of Moscow, Vladivostok and Saratov. This analysis has revealed that while creating the city’s design code in order to preserve the historical appearance of the city and to combat kitsch and “visual noise”, experts give separate consideration to the visual and socio-cultural aspect of urban signage, however, they often ignore its and legal and linguistic aspects. The article suggests a comprehensive solution to the problem at the stage of developing design projects of urban signs in line with the original design code established for each city.