Northside Transit Center + Community Park

Experiential Graphics- Large scale (environments or systems)

Project Narrative

The Northside Transit Center transforms a once neglected and underutilized site into a vibrant urban park that services multiple modes of transportation. The site, located at the intersection of Spring Grove and Hamilton is known as Knowlton’s Corner. The historic nature of the site coupled with the fascinating history of Northside provided the inspiration for the environmental graphics.

An 1869 Titus map of Northside (then Cumminsville) served as the basis of design for the vertical elements at each shelter. Each portion of the map design corresponds to an area of historical significance. The stories of these locations are told below on the interior panels of each shelter, giving riders the opportunity to explore the accomplishments of Northside residents who came before them while they wait.

From the stencil font to the exposed fasteners, sign construction and limited color palette, each design element was selected to compliment the raw materials used in the architecture and surrounding landscape. Route information is printed on individual metal panels that can easily be reused or replaced should the current routes change. Community involvement was always central to the vision of the transit center especially given the artistic nature of its residents. An artist call was created that encouraged artists to submit a visual representation of what Northside means to them. The final five submissions grace the pylons at the North and South ends of the site and the stories behind the artist’s works add another layer to those told at the shelters.