Welcome back after our winter break!
Over the coming months, I have an exciting line up of people I’m speaking to about creativity, collaboration, publishing, typography and design.
Today we are talking about signs that define Toronto! I have with me Kurt Kraler, a registered Architect (OAA) and project manager at ERA Architects, an award-winning architecture and planning firm focused on conservation through reactivation. Kurt completed his Master of Architecture (MArch) degree at the University of Waterloo with a graduate thesis that focused on the history of the themed hotel resort typology in Las Vegas and the broader social implications of the built environment. His thesis work was recognized with the AIA Henry Adams Medal and Certificate.
After a visit to the Las Vegas Neon Museum during one of his many research trips, Kurt developed an interest in historic signs. He is the co-editor of “The Signs That Define Toronto”, a 200-plus page book published in partnership with ERA and Spacing that reveals the history, culture, and stories of the city through its unique signage.
In this episode you’ll better understand how and why signs can tell us so much about the changing culture of a city, including iconic signs like Honest Ed’s, Tip Top Tailors and Zanzibar (and why the latter is particularly unique). You’ll learn how signs can shape community identities, Queer signage in Toronto, and why signs in Toronto changed after 1911.
You’ll hear Kurt’s big a-ha moment in the final stages of finishing his book, the importance of shifting policy around historical sign preservation, and a San Fransisco advocacy group’s approach to restoring and preserving neon signage within their city.
Copies "The Signs That Define Toronto" can be found at the Toronto Public Library or purchased at the Spacing Store in-person or online.
As always, this episode isn’t sponsored — I’m just a curious human trying to connect with interesting, creative projects out in the world.
About Our Guest:
Kurt Kraler is a registered Architect (OAA) and project manager at ERA Architects, an award-winning architecture and planning firm focused on conservation through reactivation. He completed his Master of Architecture (MArch) degree at the University of Waterloo with a graduate thesis that focused on the history of the themed hotel resort typology in Las Vegas and the broader social implications of the built environment. His thesis work was recognized with the AIA Henry Adams Medal and Certificate.
After a visit to the Las Vegas Neon Museum during one of his many research trips, Kurt developed an interest in historic signs. He is the co-editor of “The Signs That Define Toronto”, a 200-plus page book published in partnership with ERA and Spacing that reveals the history, culture, and stories of the city through its unique signage.
Follow Kurt on Instagram @signsthatdefine for excerpts from the book and other signs he has come across in his travels. Copies "The Signs That Define Toronto" can be found at the Toronto Public Library or purchased at the Spacing Store in-person or online here: https://spacingstore.ca/products/the-signs-that-define-toronto
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Music:
A Kwela Fella - John Bartmann licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License
Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music: Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle