LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.
Issue link: https://landscapearchitect.epubxp.com/i/150657
Suburban Chicago Wayfnding Design LaGrange and Naperville Above The branding for the La Grange signage is cast bronze replicas of the village seal, and archedtop CAD/CAM cutout grass motifs, evocative of the prairie, with hand-painted verdigris patinas. SAA Design Group Downtown LaGrange, Illinois La Grange, Illinois (pop. 15,550) is a southwestern suburb of Chicago, about 13 miles from the Loop. It's known for its peaceful rural life, and has been a destination village from the time it was incorporated on June 11, 1879. Grange is also served by BNSF Railway, Amtrak and METRA, Chicago's daily commuter train, and stops at two stations within the village. This adds to La Grange's congestion and large pedestrian population. As Chicago grew to the west, and after the devastating fire of 1871, La Grange soon became something of the ideal suburban village with its street trees, churches, schools, a thriving business district and rail service to ease the commute into the city. In recent years, La Grange's historic village center has become a destination for quality restaurants and shopping. The 2005 downtown Comprehensive Plan recommended community-wide wayfinding to help motorists, cyclists and pedestrians better navigate in the community and downtown area. Improvements to the streetscape and pedestrian zones in downtown La Grange were done prior to the wayfinding signs, along with parking lot improvements and the construction of the village's first and only parking deck. The village has two major highways traversing downtown. La Grange Road (U.S. Routes 12/29/45) runs north-south, while U.S. 34 runs east-west. La The village desired several wayfinding sign types: informational kiosks, parking lot signs and downtown gateway entrance features (future phase). The signage 78 Landscape Architect and Specifier News (Continued on page 80)