The Globe

This week, I went on a tour of The Globe Theatre and it was very cool! I got to see what Shakespeare's Globe would have looked like when he was alive, even though it was not the original theatre.

This is the outside of The Globe. The location of this new theatre is about 5 minutes from where the original theatre was and is right on the water by Millennium Bridge. The outside of the theatre looks so old-fashioned and simple. It has a thatched roof, which they had to get a special permit to have since thatched roofs have been banned in London since the Great Fire, just like the original. Also, there is a flag because this tells people that there will be a play that night, just like in Shakespeare's time. The contrast between the wood and the white on the outside of the building makes it stand out from others around it, as does the style it was built in.

The inside of The Globe is beautiful, They change the stage slightly for each new play that is put on there, so this is not exactly how it would have looked in Shakespeare's time. There are beautiful columns that anchor the stage and provide balance. Additionally, the red that is used on the stage is used sparingly because it already draws your eye to it, even though there is much more gold. Also, the paintings above the stage are gorgeous and add to the luxury that the gold columns and background already emit. Additionally, this is a thrust stage, so it is thrust into the audience and groundlings can stand around the stage to watch a play for a cheap price.

The Globe Theatre was so cool! I can't wait to go back and see a play there someday!

Windsor Castle

This weekend, I went on a bus tour to Windsor Castle, Bath, Lackock, and Stonehenge. It was so much fun, even though it was pouring rain the entire day and I got soaked. The first place on the tour was Windsor Castle, which had beautiful architecture.

The castle is so gorgeous, as all the castles I have visited in the UK are, and the stonework is very detailed. I really like how the window designs are carried throughout the entire castle to make it look uniform. Also, the windows are different shapes and sizes, depending on how high up in the castle they are. The windows that are higher on the castle wall are smaller, which makes sense as this used to be a defensive structure. The shapes of the windows also compliment each other very well, without being exactly the same. All of the windows and entryways have rounded tops, which make them all match one another very well, while still allowing them to have different designs. Also, the lighter bricks contrast with the darker bricks to make the doorways, edges, and windows stand out more. Additionally, the rectangular cut-outs at the top of the castle walls give this castle the classic castle look.

I really enjoyed my trip to Windsor Castle, I hope to go back and spend more time there someday.

Palace Gates in England and Scotland

This weekend I went to Scotland (!!!) and visited the Palace of Holyroodhouse and saw the gates leading into the palace. Since I had already been to Buckingham Palace and seen the palace gates there, I decided to compare them.

This first gate is, of course, from Buckingham Palace. It is very glitzy and fancy and says, "look at me!" There is beautiful gold detailing all over the gate, which makes it seem like it belongs to royalty.  Also, there are small crowns atop each of the lights and there is a lion on the top of the middle of the gate. These are some of the symbols of British royalty, so it makes sense that these appear in one of the most important buildings in the UK. Additionally, these gates are very tall, large, and commanding, so people will realize that this is a very special place that needs very special gates.

This next gate, however, is from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland. This gate has some ornate detailing, but not nearly as much as Buckingham Palace. It is much shorter, blander in color, and overall less grand than the other one. There are still crowns atop the stone connectors and a lion and unicorn statue by the doors to show that this property belongs to the royals, so there is some consistency between palaces. This just shows that even though both countries are in the United Kingdom, England is still the flashier, richer sibling of Scotland.

English Wayfinding

This week, I focused on the things that help me get around London without getting (too) lost.

This first image is a map from Dalston, where I went on a Type Safari this week. (It was so cool! Type is everywhere.) This map has two maps, each with a dot indicating where you are on the map and each giving a circle that provides a walking time radius. The top map gives you a circle where everything on the edge is a 15 minute walk, and the bottom map gives you a 5 minute walk circle. Also, these maps are zoomed in to different degrees to help you find streets that are varying distances away from your location. They are also color-coded, which makes it easier to find things. Overall, this is a very effective map design because it is easy to find places on and easy to read.

This second wayfinding sign is a sign in a tube station indicating which way to get to the Piccadilly line towards Kings Cross and Cockfosters. This is a very effective sign because it has the logo of the London Underground on it, which helps you to know that it is directing you to another tube line. Also, the text is large and in a very readable font, which helps it to stand out, so that everyone can see and read it without any trouble. Additionally, the sign was in a good location, so that you could see it easily while you were walking through the tube station.

BONUS MAP!

This week, I went to see Wicked, (!!) so I had to include the map of the Emerald City. The show was AMAZING and so was this map. The Emerald City portion was lit up in green to make it stand out from the other destinations on the map and it was right in the center because that was where a lot of the action in the musical took place. Also, the text on the map was script because it was not a real map, unfortunately, but it was still very readable, so that the audience could look at the map before the play started and during intermission.

Street Signs in London versus Paris

Last weekend I went to Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, and the Champs-Élysées. It was lots of fun! While I was there I noticed the street signs and decided to compare them to the street signs I have been seeing in London.

This first street sign is from arguably the most famous shopping street in the world: the Champs-Élysées. Although this street is famous and ends at the Arc de Triompe, the sign is nothing too special. It is in need of repair and, in my opinion, should be displayed in a more visible place. The green and blue background contrasts with the white lettering nicely, though, to make the sign very easy to read. Also, the font is sans serif, so it is easily legible for tourists and Parisians alike.

This next sign is from a street very close to where I am living right now: Elvaston Place. This sign is much more simple than the one in Paris, but there is still a good contrast between the white background and black and red lettering. Also, since the red lettering stands out, it is in a smaller font than the black lettering. The font of the street name and postal code is very readable, while the name of the borough is less readable. This makes sense because the street name and postal code are the most important pieces of information on the sign and if people want to know the borough, they will look more closely for it on the sign.

Overall, I have an important question about street signs in Europe: Why are you so hard to find when I need you?

Tube Tile Designs

This week, on the way back from a tour of Brick Lane, I saw some cool tiles while waiting for the tube. Hidden between the normal tiles on the wall, were some tiles that had prominent places in London on them.

This first tile depicts the Houses of Parliament. I thought it was very interesting that such great detail was put into this image of the Houses of Parliament on a tile on the wall of a tube station. It also includes some crowns to show the importance of the crown in England. The fact that the Houses of Parliament are depicted in a tube station shows just how important parliament is in people's lives. Also, the attention to detail in this small recreation of the Houses of Parliament is incredible, so it is surprising that something was not added to the tile to make it stand out more, As is, it seems like people who are not truly paying attention will miss seeing this beautiful artwork hidden on the walls of a tube station.

The next tile is of 55 Broadway, which is the head office of the London Underground. It makes sense that this building would be included in the artwork on the tube walls because this location is so important to the London Underground services. Again, like the Houses of Parliament tile, there is a lot of detail included in the representation of the building. 

This next image is of a crown with three swords underneath it. This image does not seem to fit in with the others because it depicts objects as opposed to just buildings. Also, this image is much less detailed than the others, which makes it stand out more from the others. Additionally, like the others, I think there should be something to make these tiles stand out more because it is easy to miss these if you are not waiting for the tube for a while.

Bricks on Bricks on Bricks

London is chock-full of beautiful brick buildings, so I decided to compare the differences between brick buildings in different areas in London to see how similar they are.

The image above is of a brick building in Notting Hill. The building has relatively dark brick walls which are contrasted by white moulding. There is not much decoration on this building and the lines are very clean and simple. I really like how clean and fresh the white moulding looks against the dark brownish-black brick. Also, there are some geometric designs over all the windows which stick with the clean lines theme of the building.

This image is of a brick building in Kensington. The brick on this building is much more ornate and red in color than the Notting Hill building. There is a beautiful arch around the door and intricate designs on the sides of the arch showing that this community is much more prosperous. Just as before, the window moulding is a contrasting white, but the door is set farther back and is darker than the other building's door. This gives the entire building a different feeling because when you arrive at the door, you are enclosed in a smaller, more intimate space, adding an air of exclusivity to your visit, This makes you feel more important and regal than simply walking up to the door and knocking on it.

Storefront Windows

There any many lovely stores in London, from boutiques to souvenir stores to specialty shops. So, this week I decided to look at what makes people enter the store in the first place: the storefront window.

The window above is for a very nice - and very expensive - clothing store in Notting Hill, right next to the museum of brands. The design of the window is very simple with lots of clean lines and almost no clutter. The logo is simple, yet fancy and makes the shop seem very posh. Since the clothes are designed and made well, they simply speak for themselves, so there does not need to be much in the window to make an impact.

This storefront window is also from a shop in Notting Hill, but is not quite as expensive as the first shop. There is no logo on the window and the space seems cluttered. This makes people feel like they can go into this shop and get a bargain because there is so much for sale. Also, the prices of the items are listed on the window to help draw people in. This is one of the main differences between expensive shops and inexpensive shops: inexpensive shops use sales and low prices to get people in whereas more expensive shops use their quality, unique designs, and label to get people to come in. Additionally, this window is very cluttered and unorganized. There are so many different textures, colors, and sizes in one small area that your eyes don't know where to look and you simply get overwhelmed by all the items the store offers. 

I have had so much fun looking at and comparing storefront windows this week, can't wait for next week!

I Saw the Signs

There are so many interesting and unique signs here in London that have caught my interest in the short time I have been here so far. Before this trip, I never realized how important signs are and how different they are from place to place.

 This first sign is from my trip to Neal's Yard during my first weekend here in London. The whole area surrounding the sign was very colorful, so it makes sense that the sign has very simple colors in order to make it stand out. The circular design and tree in the center are a familiar design for many healing products, so it makes sense that Neal's Yard Remedies adopted this common design convention. Also, the company name is written in a slab serif font, which makes it easy to read. Also, the simple text allows the tree in the center of the logo to be the main focus, creating a link between Neal's Yard Remedies and nature in the minds of the consumers.

This next sign is from my new favorite market: Marks and Spencer Simply Food. This shop has delicious pre-made meals as well as simple ready-to-assemble dinners. I can't wait to go back. On a design note, however, the sign is very simple. The name is written in sans serif in white, creating a feeling of simplicity and cleanliness. This makes sense because Marks and Spencer want people to understand that their food is fresh and simple to prepare with just their sign.

 This last sign is from my visit to the Columbia Flower Market this weekend. On the way back to the tube, this sign caught my eye because of the unique font. This sign is written in a decorative font that is attempting to imitate a child's handwriting to try to make people drive slower. The idea is that if people think that driving slower will protect the children in their community, they will actually follow the posted speed limit. This is also why the letters are different sizes and written in different colors. This gives the sign a more childlike appearance and hopefully convinces people to be safe and drive slower.
I've had so much fun looking for interesting signs this week, can't wait to find more soon!

Cadbury Factory

Upon arriving in London and discovering that Cadbury products were everywhere, I knew I had to visit the factory during my time here. So, on Friday, I took the two-hour long train ride out to Birmingham and then another short train to Bournville to see the factory. 

When I got there, the building seemed just like a normal factory that just happened to make chocolate, but the moment I walked into the entrance of the tour, I knew this place was something special. Immediately, I was transported into another world where anything was possible and chocolate was an integral part of life. I felt like Charlie Bucket entering the magical Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory for the first time. I didn't know where to look; each direction held something magical and exciting.

At the beginning of the tour, I was taught all about the history of chocolate and the history of the Cadbury family and how they got into this business. I learned that John Cadbury began selling tea and other products in a small store that gained popularity when he introduced a storefront window so that people could see the products they could buy from him. 

This window made his store so successful that he was able to experiment with different concoctions of chocolate, leading him to create the Cadbury company with his brother. This shows just how important design is in daily life because the design of a store sign or a product reels you in and can convince you to venture in or keep walking. His choice of opening up his store window for the public to see changed everything. 
As time went on, they knew they had to have a distinctive label to attract customers. After going through many different designs and fonts, they settled on the distinctive label you see on shelves today.

In addition to the characteristic purple lettering, Cadbury products all have distinctive colors and designs to ensure that people can find the product they are after without much trouble. For example, Creme eggs have a yellow splat shape surrounding the purple lettering, which gives people a glimpse of the heavenly treat that awaits them. 

I found it interesting how the design of the Cadbury labels changed over the years to what it is today. The text went from being large block letters to a more fancy and more playful font as the company got bigger and more successful. The company understood the importance of a distinctive color and label to ensure that people would be drawn to their products and be able to find them easily. This recognizable purple color even carries out into the rest of Bournville, making the whole village seem like it stepped out of a fairy tale.

I had so much fun on my trip to the Cadbury factory and would recommend it to anyone who likes chocolate or just wants to feel like a little kid again.