Medialab Katowice

The project has been developed in response to the complex and confusing street naming and house numbering system in use at Katowice’s Millennium Housing Estate. The current chaos is caused by certain management issues affecting what is one of the largest and most populous residential areas in Katowice. Run by three different housing cooperatives, the estate has 10 street names which have survived from the early days of its existence and 4 streets named in recent times. While the original names consistently draw on historical references, the contemporary ones have been chosen in a somewhat random fashion. The problem is both a lack of consistency between the old and new street names on blocks of those featured on maps as well as an inconsistent colour-coding system of the streets. With this in mind, the project aims to develop a new information system. The original designation of buildings has been simplified and now feature just block numbers and street names enhanced by comic-book inspired pictograms redesigned in adherence to their original form. By Katarzyna Wolny | Find out more.