Down the Rabbit Hole

This past Friday, we had a class excursion to the wonderful city of Oxford, which of course, houses the University of Oxford. I learned, to my surprise, there's actually no one University of Oxford. It is in fact composed of 38 separate colleges that have their own governing bodies. Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, tracing evidence of teachings there back to 1096 and grew rapidly in the early 12th century. That old history sets the tone for the whole town. Unlike London, which is overwhelmingly Victorian, the city of Oxford is very medieval. Most of the structures are made from stone rather than brick and set in that medieval architecture. There are plenty of notable medieval landmarks to be seen there. The following picture is of Christ Church, the main college of Oxford University. I feel it epitomizes the feel of Oxford. the medieval architecture to the beautiful flower gardens, it is certainly a sight to see.

I have chosen this picture to discuss design because I feel it is an interesting story and I really liked what they did with the design and typography on the boards. This picture of this little pub literally tucked away in this open area surrounded by buildings. The only way you can get to it is by walking into a small alley and following it until you end up in this small courtyard the pub occupies. I like how both boards use big bold letters and bright colors that catch the eye as you walk by. I like the mix of typography as well. The brands are in bold sans serif, while the accompanying type utilizes script font as well as what looks like a type of old style. This really makes everything on the board clear and really pops out at the viewer. This is is very key to advertising and I say they nailed it on the head with this one.