more good gov't design
Another noteworthy example of good design manages to find itself in front of my face every day. And I have to say, it's a pleasure to see it blanketing the city in the way it does. And like the CalTrans building I wrote about below, it's another government agency. go figure.
In late 2003, the drab white buses that covered Los Angeles started being replaces with clean, bold slabs of red and orange. The MTA, which at the same time officially changed their name to "Metro", has their own in-house design group that created a bold and consistent identity system that blanketed everything from buses to signage to transit passes. I know I read about this winning some awards in a design journal at one time with schematics of the design system, but I haven't been able to find it online. I was able to find the press release when they first proposed the change:
Kudos to Metro for recognizing the value of good design and a consistent identity system that not only makes their product easier to use, but creates civic value as well.