Typographic glamour

This is a detail from the Port of London Authority cold store building in Smithfield.  It is an easily-overlooked example of typography in the public realm, in this case, apparently the only example in London of ceramic tiles being used to infill lettering on a building.  Look carefully and you will see that each letter is made up of hundreds of pieces of ceramic tile.  Most examples of really interesting building typography in the City appear to be out of use, left behind until a someone decides to eradicate them.  Typography is a powerful way of labelling, navigating, setting the scene, noting the tone and of making an interesting point about what is going on.  This picture was taken on a walk led by Phil Baines from Central St Martins College of Art on the typography of the City of London.  See the typography section for more.