Small, New, Ubiquitous Design Elements Of The 2006 City

Scattered throughout the urban landscape, new design elements have emerged that identify our times.

1 minute read

May 17, 2006, 9:00 AM PDT

Wi-fi signs, anti-skateboarding clips, and security bollards are among the new elements in the cityscape telling us that times have changed.

"We live in a society where new homes are cloaked in historic veneers and filled with virtual antiques sold by the likes of Pottery Barn. Hipsters drive Mini Coopers. Rebellious teens sport Mohawks above their Sex Pistols T-shirts.

I'm sorry, what year was this again?

The answer is 2006 -- and there's plenty of visual evidence if we just know how to look. Even as lifestyles and cultural trends blur, not moored to any particular era or place, the scenery is littered with clues that could exist only in the here and now."

Thanks to Michael Patrick

FULL STORY: Have a look around you. See anything different? The landscape is forever changing in little ways, from traffic circles to anti-skateboard clips.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006 in The San Francisco Chronicle

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