Part street furniture, part advertisement for public transit, part public art—the designers of a new bus stop installation in Baltimore call it "an obvious bus stop."
"This summer, people waiting for the bus on South East Avenue in the Highlandtown neighborhood of Baltimore were treated to a public art sculpture that its designers, Madrid-based artist collective Mmmm, call 'an obvious bus stop,'" reports Kristin Hohenadel.
The design, according to Hohenadel, is so "patently obvious and instantly appealing that it makes you wonder why the world isn’t full of 14-foot-tall, 7-foot-wide three-letter bus stop typography sculptures that spell out the word BUS."
As for the intentions of the designers, Hohenadel reports that "[Mmmm designer Emilio] Alarcón told me that the designers wanted “to create a very friendly bus stop to contrast with the industrial city” of Baltimore and help revitalize the Highlandtown neighborhood."
If you're looking for more pictures of the stop, Designboom has a bunch directly from Mmmm, including some cute images of children playfully interacting with the new stop.
FULL STORY: The World’s Most Obvious Bus Stop Is Pure Design Genius
The Value of Beauty at Bus Stops
While some rail stations get the starchitect treatment, most bus stops fail to offer aesthetic value. One study suggests this is a mistake.
Light Rail It Is for Baltimore’s Red Line Project
The decision to go with light rail over bus rapid transit will be more expensive and take longer to complete, but proponents say it’s an investment in Baltimore’s economic future.
Guerilla Urbanism Spurs Action From Cities
Rather than take a hostile approach to DIY urbanism, some cities are using guerilla efforts as an opportunity to understand critical infrastructure gaps.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)