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Keith Tam
School of Design · Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The visual language of Hong Kong’s neon signs
Fremont Street, Las Vegas c1952
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Big sign, little building vs building as sign
Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour (1972) Learning from Las Vegas
Relationship between space, scale, speed and symbol
Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour (1972) Learning from Las Vegas
Fremont Street, Las Vegas c1952
Source: Wikimedia Commons
antispatial
Fremont Street, Las Vegas c1952
Source: Wikimedia Commons
form in space
Fremont Street, Las Vegas c1952
Source: Wikimedia Commons
form in space
symbols
messages
Jordan Road, Kowloon
Jordan Road, Kowloon
antispatial
Jordan Road, Kowloon
form in space
Jordan Road, Kowloon
form in space
symbols
messages
Sung Wong Toi inscription, Kowloon City
Sacred Hill, Kowloon City c1920
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Tung Wah Museum, built in 1910
Tung Wah Museum, built in 1910
Tung Wah Museum, built in 1910
Queen’s Road, late 19th century
Source: Images through time: photos of Hong Kong exhibition catalogue, Leisure & Cultural Services Dept (2013)
Jordan Road, Kowloon
Sunbeam Theatre, North Point
Shun Hing Restaurant, Sham Shui Po
Projecting and shopfront signs, Jordan
Hong Kong signscape typology: corner building
Façade coverage
Projecting columnar
Projecting irregular
Projecting banner Building fascia
Building columnar
Building corner fascia
Hong Kong signscape typology: side elevation
Projecting banner
Projecting columnar
roadpavementbuilding
Shopfront projecting
Hong Kong signscape typology: front elevation
Shopfront projectingPlaque inside shop
Shop window
Building fascia Shopfront fascia
Building columnar
Shopfront columnar
Hong Kong signscape typology
Keith Tam 2014
Shopfront
S1 Shopfront fascia
S2 Shopfront projecting
S3 Shopfront columnar
S4 Shop window
S5 Plaque inside shop
Building
B1 Building columnar
B2 Building fascia
B3 Building corner fascia
B4 Façade coverage
Extension
E1 Projecting columnar
E2 Projecting banner
E3 Projecting irregular
On Hong Ning Drug Company, Yau Ma Tei
Tai Ping Koon Restaurant, Yau Ma Tei
Projecting columnar sign
A selection of projecting columnar signs
Projecting columnar sign
Projecting horizontal sign: Yuet Heung Restaurant,Wanchai
Projecting irregular signs: a selection of pawn shop signs
Tak Sang Pawn Shop, Yau Ma Tei
Projecting irregular signs: Tai Ping Koon, Causeway Bay; King’s Sauna, North Point
Building fascia: Sunny Paradise Sauna,Wanchai
Corner fascia: Tak Hing Dried Seafood, Yau Ma Tei
Corner fascia: Swan Lake Sauna, Sham Shui Po
Façade coverage: Tai Lin Radio, Yau Ma Tei
Façade coverage: Shing Lei Mahjong Parlour, Yau Ma Tei
Shopfront columnar: electronic store on Nathan Road
Yen Zhen-qing (Tang) Zhao Zi-qian (Qing)
A specimen of Au Kin Kung’s calligraphic scripts
A specimen of Au Kin Kung’s calligraphic scripts
Shui Hing Mahjong Parlour in Yau Ma Tei, calligraphy (possibly) by Au Kin Kung
Wing Hing Pharmacy, Yau Ma Tei Wing Lung Bank, Quarry Bay
Shun Hing Restaurant, Sham Shui Po
Chinese lettering styles: Kaishu, Beiwei Kaishu, Lishu, Songti
English (Latin) lettering styles: Grotesque capitals, cursive script, seriffed capitals
American Restaurant,Wanchai
Goldfinch Restaurant, Causeway Bay
Different styles of character rendering in neon tubes
Nam Wah Neon Company
Colour rendering painted with gouache in a reduced scale
Nam Wah Neon Co.
Nam Wah Neon Co.
Rough sketch on a colour rendering
Nam Wah Neon Co.
Gouache rendering with client’s approval signature
Nam Wah Neon Co.
Gouache rendering with grid used for enlargement
Nam Wah Neon Co.
Streetside signwriters in Hong Kong in the last century
Tse Tak Lung (1993) The bridge between design and printing
Outline drawing on craft paper in actual scale
Nam Wah Neon Co.
Mr Lau Wan at Nam Wah Neon Company
Mr Lau Wan at Nam Wah Neon Company
Mr Lau Wan at Nam Wah Neon Company
Nam Wah Neon Co.
Causeway Bay Plaza Phase 2, Causeway Bay
Wah Hong Restaurant,Wanchai
Federal Palace Restaurant, Yau Ma Tei
Sands Sauna, Jordan
Flood-lit billboards in Mong Kok
Thank you! @keithchtam
invisibledesigns.org

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The visual language of Hong Kong’s neon signs