west village revival
DESCRIPTION
A packaged proposal to stimulate the bygone artistic culture in the West Village.TRANSCRIPT
West
Villag
e: pro
ject b
rief.
ConditionAILMENTunnoticedTargetAudienceOBLIVIOUSelite
DesignApproachDIRTYroughCampaignStrategyBLUNThistorical
AlyssaDAVISdesignIIIGET.WELL
BringBACKpillageINwestVILLAGE
After researching West Village
(which often fell under the title
Greenwich Village) and visiting the
area during different times of the
day, I noticed the strange relation-
ships between the evolution of peo-
ple throughout the day and the types
of surrounding restaurants/shops. I
researched the area online and found
information about its historic culture
as a bohemian area and found that
some of the current shops reflect
that nostalgia, but the people do not.
The diagonal streets, cutting in all
different directions, were established
before the grid was set as the stan-
dard for New York City, and former
inhabitants embodied the haphaz-
ard, free spirit of the Village.
Artists, writers, and young performers joined in the West Vil-lage, where liberating creativity reigned and cheap living quar-ters were abundant.
Now, this feeling of natural imagination is gone, and the shops are questionable as authentic institu-tions. That is, are the shops in West Vil-
lage faux representa-tions of the original, genuine culture? Or is there a mix of au-thenticity, artificial-ity, and modernity due to gentrification?
“Before the celebrities, we took pride in the writers and artists nurtured in the Village, like Eugene O’Neill, E. E. Cummings, Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, Jack Kerouac, Jasper Johns and so on.”-Gerry Shanahan, New York Times
peo-ple
who wal
through theVil-lageon their ay
toWash-ington Square-
toho-
(Bring back pillage in West Village)
people who wal
through the Vil-
lage on their way to Washing-ton Square t o h o p o n t h e s u b w a y togotoWal l Streetorev-e n u p t o w n ;
t h e y m e r e l y liketheidea or-
livingin th people who wal through
the Vil-
the day, I noticed the strange re-lationships between the evolution of people throughout the day and the types of surrounding restau-
After researching West Village (which often fell under the title Greenwich Village) and visiting the area during different times of
lished before the grid was set as the standard for New York City, and former inhabitants embod-ied the haphazard, free spirit of
rants/shops refl ect that nostal-gia, but the people do not. The diagonal streets, cutting in all different directions, were estab-
are the shops in West Village faux representations of the original, genuine culture? Or is there a mix of authenticity, artifi ciality, and
the Village. Artists, writfeeling of natural imagination is gone, and the shops are questionable as authentic institutions.That is,
sent the young, starving artist on a quest to fi nd a new area in which to affordably live. This campaign, which would advo-
modernity due to gentrifi cation? West Village is listed among the 15% wealthiest commu-nities in America, which has
people who walk through the Village on their way to Wash-ington Square to hop on the subway to go to Wall Street or
even uptown; they merely like the idea or living in the quaint, chic West Village.I hope to separate the unforgivable word “trendy”
from ever being associattram-pled, confused neighborhood.Perhaps some of the residents are aware of this problem, and the
real issue may be clarifying that this is a problem and not just “natural” in the scheme of urban growth and development. I fell
of the day, I noticed the strange relationships between the evolu-tion of people throughout the day and the types of surrounding res-
taurants/shops. I researched the area online and found informa-tion about its historic culture as a bohemian area and found that
After researching West Village (which often fell under the title Greenwich Village) and visiting the area during different times
established before the grid was set as the standard for New York City, and former inhabitants em-bodied the haphazard, free spirit
of the Village. Artists, writers, and young performers joined in the West Village, where liberat-ing creativity reigned and cheap
some of the current shops refl ect that nostalgia, but the people do not. The diagonal streets, cutting in all different directions, were
stitutions.That is, are the shops in West Village faux represen-tations of the original, genuine culture? Or is there a mix of
authenticity, artifi ciality, and modernity due to gentrifi cation? The West Village population has transformed from one of poor, tal-
living quarters were abundant. Now, this feeling of natural imag-ination is gone, and the shops are questionable as authentic in-
ica, which has sent the young, starving artist on a quest to fi nd a new area in which to affordably live. This campaign, which would
advocate for a halt and reversal of the sociological and demographic trends in West Village, would tar-get the current residents who do
ented artists into one of primarily rich, trendy young adults. West Village is listed among the 15% wealthiest communities in Amer-
are less likely to be aware of local campaigns and hanging posters. I am targeting the people who walk through the Village on their way
to Washington Square to hop on the subway to go to Wall Street or even uptown; they merely like the idea or living in the quaint, chic
not contribute to the West Village in an acceptable cultural way. My target audience would—ironical-ly—be comprised of those who
it is on its way to reaching a popu-larity peak before tumbling down into the dishonor of a tacky, tram-pled, confused neighborhood.
Perhaps some of the residents are aware of this problem, and the real issue may be clarifying that this is a problem and not just
West Village.I hope to separate the unforgivable word “trendy” from ever being associated with West Village, which implies that
out history in the Village, which correlate to the rise of “the new” West Village. Residents should evaluate where they fall in this is-
sue; are they one of the few who uphold the genuine West Village bohemian feel and are still fortu-nate enough to have an affordable
“natural” in the scheme of urban growth and development. I fell upon this topic after researching the drop in crime rates through-
of Manhattan looks best to them? Of course, there are in between situations and grey areas in which many respectable tenants fall.
I will use graphic images and recognizable historical fi gures of West Village to promote a return to the original identity. I may also
place to live? Or are they of up-per class status, unaware of their cultural surroundings yet ready and able to live in whatever part
The West Village population has trans-formed from one of poor, talented artists into one of primar-ily rich, trendy young adults. West Village is
listed among the 15% wealthiest communi-ties in America, which has sent the young, starving artist on a quest to find a new area in which to affordably
live. This campaign, which would advocate for a halt and reversal of the sociological and demographic trends in West Village, would target the current resi-
dents who do not contribute to the West Village in an acceptable cultural way. My target audience would—ironically—be comprised of those who are less likely to be aware of local campaigns and hanging posters. I am targeting the people who walk through the Village on their way to Wash-ington Square to hop on the subway to go to Wall
Street or even uptown; they merely like the idea of living in the quaint, chic West Village. I hope to separate the unforgivable word “trendy” from ever being associated with West Village, which implies that it is on its way to reaching a popular-ity peak before tumbling down into the dishonor of a tacky, trampled, confused neighborhood.
sh reversal of the sociological and demographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the reversal o
f the sociologi
cal and demographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the ops refl ect that nostalgia, but the people do not. The diagonal streets, cutting in all dif
ferent directi
ons, were
establi
shed b
efore
the grid was set as the standard for New York City, and former inhabitants embodied the haphazard, free s
pirit
sh reversal of the sociological and demographic trends in
West
Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the reversal of the sociological and dem
ographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the ops refl ect that nostalgia, but the peopl
e do not.
The diagonal streets, cutting in all different directions, were established before the grid w
as set as the standard for New York City, and
sh reversal
of th
e sociologica
l and demographic trend
s in West Village, would ta
rget the cu
rren
t resid
ents who d
o not contribute to th
e reversal of the sociolo
gical and
dem
ographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not con
trib
ute
to th
e op
s re
fl ect
that
nos
talg
ia, b
ut th
e peo
ple do not. T
he
posters.
I am
targ
eting the peopl
e w
ho w
alk
thro
ugh th
e V
illag
e on
wes
t fou
rt w
es th
eir way to W
ash-
“The West Village has a history of being a
We’re being told to let go of that history.”
haven for artists and marginalized people.
-Mananzala
Perhaps some of the residents are aware of this problem, and the real issue may be clarifying that this is a prob-lem and not just “natural” in the scheme of urban growth and development. I fell upon this topic after research-ing the drop in crime rates throughout history in the Village, which correlate to the rise of “the new” West Vil-lage. Residents should evalu-ate where they fall in this issue; are they one of the few who uphold the genuine West Village bohemian feel and are still fortunate enough to have an affordable place to live? Or are they of upper class status, unaware of their cul-tural surroundings yet ready and able to live in whatever part of Manhattan looks best to them? Of course, there are in between situations and grey areas in which many respectable tenants fall.
(Bring back pillage in West Village)
sh reversal of the sociological and demographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the reversal o
f the sociologi
cal and demographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the ops refl ect that nostalgia, but the people do not. The diagonal streets, cutting in all dif
ferent directi
ons, were
establi
shed b
efore
the grid was set as the standard for New York City, and former inhabitants embodied the haphazard, free s
pirit
sh reversal of the sociological and demographic trends in
West
Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the reversal of the sociological and dem
ographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the ops refl ect that nostalgia, but the peopl
e do not.
The diagonal streets, cutting in all different directions, were established before the grid w
as set as the standard for New York City, and
sh reversal
of th
e sociologica
l and demographic trend
s in West Village, would ta
rget the cu
rren
t resid
ents who d
o not contribute to th
e reversal of the sociolo
gical and
dem
ographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not con
trib
ute
to th
e op
s re
fl ect
that
nos
talg
ia, b
ut th
e peo
ple do not. T
he
posters.
I am
targ
eting the peopl
e w
ho w
alk
thro
ugh th
e V
illag
e on
wes
t fou
rt w
es th
eir way to W
ash-
has crossed the tracks, leaving a respectable neighborhood of high rents, big mortgages, and little children.”
“The color-ful bohemia
West Village to other major internation-al cities, especially Paris and London. I want to promote the project in unexpect-ed areas of the city
and potentially only in the West Village so that people become more aware of their surroundings when they see the repeated images and themes.
(Bring back pillage in West Village)I will use graphic im-ages and recogniz-able historical fi gures of West Village to promote a return to the original identity. I may also compare
“The children replaced the gays — the men have left for Chel-sea, the women
for Park Slope.”
Busin
ess C
ard After researching and collecting dif-ferent business cards from my target neighborhood, I realized that there was a clear difference between new, corpo-rate company cards, and established lo-cal company cards. The former design is more typical and mundane, while the later is creative and often handmade. I
(Bring back pillage in West Village)
spread
w. 14th to
INFLUENCE
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decided to incorporate a little bit of both in my business card to obtain the professionalism of a corporate card but keep an edgy design ap-peal. I liked the vertical format of the front of my card, with the transition of orientation and color as the viewer turns to the back of the card. I also revised my card to make the drippy im-age connect between the front and the back.
FR
ON
T
BA
CK
Alyssa DavisUrban Physician
2 Cornelia StreetNew York, NY 10014
401.263.4093
Dedication to the Preservation of Bohemian Culture: Living Slightly
at Risk, Affordably
__________
Bring
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llage
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PillageIn West
VillageLogo
De
velo
pmen
t After completing the icon exer-cise in which I identifi ed a mu-sic note as a key symbol in my campaign, I made drafts of a potential logo. I liked the ideas of these three prototypes, but the fi rst one and the last one are too complex and not easily
scaled while the middle one is a bit awkward with the text as the stem of the music note. I revised and simplifi ed the designs, highlight-ing pillage and village as the key terms. Af-ter reviewing logos that I found in everyday settings, I realized that the most basic, clear designs make the boldest statements. There-fore, I reduced by logo to a black and white
Back
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Village
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Alyssa Daviscampaign logo
vil agepil age
the
text-image integration. I like this logo because it does not explain the whole message (as logos are not expected to do), but it intriques the viewer and makes him curious about the campaign. Finally, I decided to add a vertically-aligned ‘the’ to the logo, which makes the text more of a statement than a ambiguous rhyme. I also added col-or to make the logo stand out, and I incorporated a speech bubble to emphasize the text, to give the impression that this issue needs to be discussed, and to make the logo applicable to many “speakers”.
fy my design so that it was composed of only the campaign logo. The final t-shirt design is asym-metrical and there is a relationship between the images on the front and the images on the back. I decided to put a small campaign logo on the left sleeve of my shirt to balance the imagery on the right side. I did not want a text-based, typical campaign t-shirt so I made the speech
T-Sh
irt De
sign I initially wanted to incorporate the
drippy marks around the neckline of my t-shirt, which would resemble a necklace in shape and placement yet offer a un-filtered street appeal. I also thought of having a mirror effect between the front and the back of the shirt with the words ‘pillage’ and ‘village,’ but I had to simpli-
bubble coming from the music notes. This eludes to the idea that music is speaking, or try-ing to send a message to the target audience. Local artists, musicians, and other creative or bohemian types would wear my shirt. Anyone who is aware of this issue or has been pushed out of the West Village should wear this shirt.
vil agepil age
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FR
ON
T
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CK
Box D
esign
:Pr
oces
s I wanted to use imagery on my box that looks hand-drawn as op-posed to a design that looks like a template or that looks streamlined and commercial. Bohemian life-styles range from music to art to theatre, and a ragged, rough mood is appropriate for this campaign’s
box. Therefore, my first design has undulating horizontal lines with text running between the stripes at the top of the box. The inside of the second box has the key words of the slogan ooz-ing out from the drippy marks, trapped in the center of the plane. The third design plays with the overlap of the box’s cover. I decided that in the final design, there would be music notes
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eBring Back Pillage in West
connecting the inside and the outside, drawing the viewer to meander along with the notes into the contents of the box. I also improved one of my favorite icon exercises to use on the top of the box. I reversed the figure-ground colors on the in-side bottom of the box to create an illusion of depth and dark-ness. I also decided to add the red of the campaign color to the dripping marks along the sides of the box, which sug-gests blood, crime, and ‘pillage’ but also resembles paint drips.Bo
x Desi
gn:
Fina
l
target audence. Many luxury shops and high-end childrens’ clothing stores have popped up on the famous diagonal streets of West Village, such as Bleecker Street and West 4th Street. Seemingly in place of the once eclectic and af-fordable attractions in the Village, these luxury brands (and their local customers) contribute to the loss of bohemian culture in the West Village.
P h o t oM o n t a g eI chose to place my logo on Bleecker Street in order to attract the most attention from the
target audence. Many luxury shops and high-
sh reversal of the sociological and demographic trend
s in
West Village, w
ould target the current residents who do not contribute to the reversal of the sociological and dem
ographic trends in West Village, would target the current residents who do not contribute to the ops refl ect that nosta
lgia,
but the p
eople do not. The diagonal streets, cutting in all different directions, were established before the grid was set
sh re
versal
of th
e sociologica
l and demographi
c tren
ds in West Village, wou
ld target th
e curre
nt re
sidents who do not contribut
e to the reversa
l of t
he sociolo
gica
l and demographic trends in West Village, would target the cu
rrent residen
ts w
ho d
o no
t con
tribu
te to
the
ops r
efl ec
t tha
t nosta
lgia, but
posters.
I am
targ
eting the peopl
e w
ho w
alk
thro
ugh th
e V
illag
e on
wes
t fou
rt w
es th
eir way to W
ash-
Dedication to the Preservation of Bohemian Culture: Living Slightly at Risk, Affordably
Alyssa DavisUrban Physician
_________2 Cornelia Street
New York, NY 10014401.263.4093
Alyssa Davis
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Alyssa DavisUrban Physician
2 Cornelia StreetNew York, NY 10014
401.263.4093
Dedication to the Preservation of Bohemian Culture: Living Slightly
at Risk, Affordably
__________
vil agepil age
the
Villag
eBring Back Pillage in West