1969: Call Box and Street Lamps, 28th & O Streets N.W., Washington D. C. Photo by Jack E. Boucher from the Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey. The Historic American Buildings Survey is part of Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service…
All posts by Randy
Inspiration: Aircraft Identification Cards
Description Physical deck of cards, or a pamphlet, which aid in identifying aircraft (usually enemy aircraft), for use by both civilian and military users. Often uses a mnemonic to make recall easier, for example: the US military uses “WEFT” as a mnemonic for the major features of an aircraft: Wings or rotors to provide lift,…
Inspiration: Wildlife Treasury
Description The Wildlife Treasury was a subscription-based card collection, featuring an encyclopedia of the world’s animals. The first package included a bright green plastic case to put your card collection in, and then each month additional cards would come in the mail, where you would have to sort them. Discussion I loved these as a…
Relay Mailbox
Swift completion of storage Littera excambio OrderSupellex FamilyCondo GenusLittera SpeciesLittera excambio Description Littera excambio (cn. USPS Relay Mailbox) are the unsung workhorses of urban mail delivery. L. excambio holds a day’s worth of mail for the mail carrier, since they can only hold so much mail at one time, allowing the mail carrier to come…
WSNY NYC Drinking water sampling station
Checking out the water praetento aquafluo Ordersupellex Familycapio Genuspraetento Speciespraetento aquafluo Description Cast iron stations spread throughout the city, in order for the Department of Environmental Protection to test the quality of the City’s drinking water on a monthly basis. Identification A medium sized cast iron rectangular box with eased corners consisting of two pieces…
CityRack Small Hoop Rack
Smaller store of equity rota custodulus Ordersupellex Familycondo Genus rota Speciesrota custodulus Description Ubiquitous public and free bike parking on New York City sidewalks, in a smaller package, allowing for one bicycle to be safely secured. See also larger cousin rota custodia (cn. CityRack Large Hoop Rack) which functions similarly, but with unique morphological and…
Inspiration: NACTO Design Guidelines
The National Association of City Transportation Officials is an association of 81 major North American cities and transit agencies formed to exchange transportation ideas, insights, and practices and cooperatively approach national transportation issues. As part of their work, they have been publishing some excellent guidebooks drawn on established case studies and best practices from their…
CityRack Large Hoop Rack
Ubiquitous public and free bike parking on New York City sidewalks.
Genus: Rota
Ordersupellex Familycondo Genus rota Genus Description DOT provides free bicycle parking racks throughout the five boroughs of a variety of species. Additionally, the DOT set aside space on the street and sidewalks for Citibike, a dock based Bicycle rental service. Species rota custodiaCityRack – Large Hoop Rack rota custodulusMini CityRack – Small Hoop Rack rota…
LinkNYC
What purpose, Monolith? disputo monolitus Description A large rectangular advertising monolith, largely replacing telephone booths, LinkNYC provides the local denizens with free wifi, phone, power charging, a web–enabled browser, and large electronic advertising. Identification A very large, rectangular monolith, with both long flat sides containing a large display; with one short side fluted, and the…