Our lecture on great designs led by Nicholas Oddy, a design historian and teacher at GSA, was one I could talk about for days. Yet there was one design in particular which, you'll see with no surprise, stuck out to me the most.
Margaret Calvert - Road Sign Designer
Margaret Calvert is a British graphic designer who is best known for her work in designing the road signs used on British highways. Her iconic designs have been used for over half a century and have become an integral part of the British landscape.
Calvert's work on road signs began in the early 1960s when the British government commissioned a team of designers to create a standardized set of road signs that could be used across the country. Calvert was a part of this team and was responsible for designing many of the signs that are still in use today, such as the "children crossing" sign, the "give way" sign, and the "no overtaking" sign.
Calvert's approach to designing these signs was innovative in that she focused on creating designs that were simple, easy to understand, and visually appealing. She used a clear, bold typeface and simple, easily recognizable symbols that could be understood quickly and easily by all drivers, regardless of their level of education or language proficiency.
In addition to her groundbreaking work in the field of road sign design, Calvert was also a prominent feminist and advocate for women's rights. In the 1970s, she was one of the founding members of the feminist design collective called Women's Design Service. The group aimed to challenge the male-dominated design industry and promote women's creativity and innovation. Her 'child's crossing' sign was actually a feminist movement in itself. Nicholas Oddy explained how on the sign, it was deliberate that the girl was bigger than the boy and that she was the one leading the way. I can't believe we've grown up with this design and only now, at the age of 22, have I come to learn how important it really is.
Calvert's work with Women's Design Service included designing educational materials and promoting the use of non-sexist language in design. She also advocated for greater representation of women in design education and the design industry as a whole.
Her legacy as a designer and feminist continues to inspire new generations of designers and activists. Her work on the road signs we see every day is a testament to her ability to create designs that are both functional and visually striking, while her work with Women's Design Service has helped pave the way for greater gender equality in the design world.
Comments