In the News: Anacostia Library - Washington, DC

Anacostia Library is the first of six new DC Public Library buildings to be completed in a program to build architectural noteworthy facilities in a variety of Washington neighborhoods. Featured in this month's ARCHITECTURAL RECORD magazine and designed by Freelon Group of Durham NC, Anacostia Library also showcases new sign standards designed by Anderson Krygier, Inc. for the DC Library system. Above, canopy mounted dimensional letters are designed to be friendly, approachable and welcoming.

New sign standards include both exterior and interior signage. Above, an illuminated parking directional points the way to parking around the block and behind the building.

In addition to six new Libraries, the sign standards will be implemented in all existing contemporary libraries as they are updated and remodeled. The historic libraries of Washington DC are also being updated and AK has developed a sign standard to complement their historic character. Georgetown is the first of six to have implemented the historic sign program. Five additional historic libraries are in process.

Inside the library, collection identification on the stack end panels is easy to update and change as the collection moves around the library.

Interior palette and finishes are bold, colorful and inspiring.

On the Boards: Shriners Hospitals for Children - The Greatest Little Shrine Game in the World

Here we are, just weeks before our deadline, looking at photos and gathering content for a 28' wide x 8' high wall graphic slated for the new cafe at Shriners Hospital for Children, Portland. It will showcase the stellar efforts of Oregon Shriners and their communities in a year-round effort to produce the Shriners Hospital Oregon East-West All-Star Football Game from which 97% of net proceed go directly to patient care. Above, Cherry interviews participants as we gather photos for the display.

Exactly, one month later: design is complete, copy is written (and vetted) and we're presenting to the national facilities director for Shriners Hospitals for Children.

We're in the cafe, checking things out. Note the palette: carpet and graphic in perfect harmony.

The Graphic Wall. Our next installment: April 8th installation for April 10 dedication. Sometimes things go smoothly. We don't take it for granted.

Out & About & On the Boards: Fort Campbell, KY -Blanchfield Army Community Hospital

We made our first visit to a military hospital when we traveled with ZGF Architects to Fort Campbell, KY (home of the "Screaming Eagles") for a site visit . We're working on an addition that includes the Emergency Department (ED) where we were very inspired by the people we met in uniform. Above, Karen is listening to Major Schaeffer, head of the ED and mother of twin boys age 2 1/2. A veteran of two tours in Iraq, Major Schaeffer was gone for a full year of her boys' short lives. Her husband is getting ready to ship out for a third tour of his own.

On the boards: The Story of Writing - EA Lecture

In Portland Center Stage's production of FUTURA, we witness typography professor and librarian Lorraine Wexler give a lesson on the history of fonts in a future where the art of pen and paper has all but disappeared. The professor is particularly fond of the typeface, Futura.

In 2006, when Anderson Krygier designed signage and graphics for the new Gerding Theater at the Armory, we just happened to think Futura the perfect typeface to marry the original architecture's classic proportions with the modernist lines of its contemporary interventions. What could be more perfect than for AK to be a sponsor of the play!

As part of our sponsorship, Elizabeth rolled out butcher paper and wrote with real pens to demonstrate the history of writing in an interactive, pre-matinee chat before the Sunday March 6 presentation. Over 60 people attended.

In the theater lobby, amazing letterform sculptures continued the typography and lettering theme.