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Electric Signs

2007 International Sign Contest

Electric Sign Systems

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FIRST PLACE

Contrary to popular myth, public transit exists in the City of Angels (having experienced rush-hour traffic there, I can vouch it’s a difficult city to traverse via highways). The LA Metro system serves 1.4 million riders weekly. Metro’s inhouse design team and LNI collaborated to develop environmental graphics for the county’s metro stops. The 15.5-ft.-tall Metro logo signs installed at all stations comprise stainless-steel cladding and columns that are internally fluorescent-lit and decorated with perforated 3M Controltac vinyl, which makes the iconic “M” appear black by day and white at nighttime. The 19.5-ft.-tall, Orange Line pylons, similarly constructed, also feature two-sided, backlit acrylic displays that contain promotional messages and feature information about the station’s neighborhood.

SECOND PLACE

Founded in 1978, Spangles operates 21 Sunflower State locations that embody the neon-laden ambience of the 1950s American diner. This multi-faceted upgrade for a Wichita location entailed an electronic monument sign; border neon; exposed-neon channel letters; menuboards; enter/exit signage; a larger-than-life guitar; and other illuminated accents. The 18-ft.-tall sign cabinet comprises custom-extruded, .063-in. aluminum, with steel structural components lit with ruby-red, noviol-gold, horizon-blue and exposed, snow-white channel letters. Miracle Signs painted the oval cabinet red for added effect. Lecip transformers power the pylon sign. The shop fashioned the readerboards from 1.5-in., aluminum angle; .063-in. aluminum faces and returns; cool-white fluorescent bulbs powered by France ballasts; and white acrylic with affixed letter tracks.

The façade is covered with 700 ft. of horizon-blue, ruby-red and noviol-gold border tubing, and 18-in.-tall, noviol-gold, open-face channel letters flank the building. Miracle Signs developed the program using CorelDraw and Maya 3-D modeling software, and fashioned the system with its Vytek Rebel II router, Miller MIG welder and standard shop tools.

THIRD PLACE

Ad*Vice undertook a full-scale graphic package for a 100-acre, mixed-use development in Newport News, VA. According to Goodwin, the project entailed a sizeable, wall-mounted sign; vehicular and pedestrian gateways; parking-deck markings; and directional signage, among other elements. The shop incorporated thermoformed plastics, decorative aluminum, and rolled and formed steel to develop the diverse elements. A mixture of fluorescent, incandescent, neon and halogen lighting provides illumination.

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