Portland State University graphic design student Jeffery Frankenhauser will design a logo for each of the 279 municipal parks in Portland. His thesis project is a helpful reminder to take a KEEN Recess break and explore a new park in your city.

Frankenhauser describes his process:

“Before I start sketching for a park, I always do a little research into the park’s history, to see if there is anything significant that I can use in shaping the logo. Irving Park is named after Captain William Irving, a pioneer of steamboat travel, which led me to create something with a nautical theme. But I also try and work in any notable physical attributes of the park (like Brooklyn Park’s steep hill, Columbia Park’s dense & shadowy trees, or the bluffs of Overlook Park) or work in cultural influences of the surrounding areas (like reflecting the bold, colorful art scene in the Alberta Park logo, or using Colonel Summers’ mustache for the hip Belmont-area park).” #

Frankenhauser was inspired by Nicole Meyer’s Branding 10,000 Lakes [in Michigan] and Steve Shanabruch’s The Chicago Neighborhoods. Together, these three projects prompt important discussion about creating identities for communities.

What’s your favorite park in your city or town? Why? Do you identify with the parks or other public spaces in your community?

Related posts:

1. Intl. Park(ing Day) 2009 – Forest Park in the City?
2. KEEN Garage Joins Forces with Forest Park Conservancy and The Intertwine for International Park(ing) Day
3. KEEN Volunteers with Backyard Collective to Build Trails in Forest Park
4. A Year in the Long Life of Forest Park – A Photographic Essay Benefiting the Forest Park Conservancy
5. Forest Park Marathon – Runners to Experience Unforgettable Trail Marathon Within City Limits

Tags: 100000 lakes, buckman field, chicago, chicago neighborhoods, colonel summers park, community planning, design, graphic design, irving park, jeffrey frankenhauser, keen recess, michigan, nicole meyer, pdx parks, Portland, portland parks, Portland State University, psu, steven shanabruch, urban planning

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 14th, 2012 at 8:05 am and is filed under KEEN, Play. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.