Every city is a unique jumble of architectural forms, and Montréal is no exception. Its skyline is particularly impressive at night: approached by road bridge, for example, the downtown core’s skyscrapers together describe a very distinctive profile, as characteristic as a silhouetted face; as peculiar as a fingerprint. These city surfaces are familiar to us through direct experience and through the media (postcards, TV shows, movie titles) but certain aspects remain unexamined. For example: the constellation of backlit logos and signs on high-rise buildings that help to describe vividly the mercantile and commercial roots of the city.

Logo Cities (http:www.logocities.org) is an evolving web project that has been designed to be visually appealing, accessible, and informative. It already contains a wealth of information about highly visible signs in Montréal, including their date of installation, the designer of the logo or device, and basic details about the building itself. Logo Cities will soon grow to include interviews with signmakers, architects, designers, urban planners, and members of the public.

Website: Logo Cities