T5 (2025) → Elastic Signage
This project is based on the standardized road signage system widely used in Chinese cities, derived from the national standard Road Traffic Signs and Markings (GB 5768) — a system built around clarity, consistency, and fast recognition.Rather than redesigning it, I was interested in how little it takes to shift something so familiar. I focused on the directional arrows, introducing subtle variations that bring in a sense of playfulness, while keeping the original structure, colour logic, and hierarchy intact.It became less about altering the form, and more about testing the elasticity of the system — how far it can stretch without losing legibility, and how, across different contexts, a standardised public system can be extended to carry a range of tones, from purely functional to slightly expressive.
A series of observations from walking through central London, documenting shopfront typography and signage — from older establishments to more contemporary ones — capturing subtle shifts in letterforms, styles, and visual language through on-site research and photography.