Gallery: A Universal Set of Icons That Mashes Up Chinese and Western Ideas
Photo: Lava01DSC00061
Design studio Lava created a series of symbols for Beijing's hutong neighborhoods that could be understood by both Chinese and western residents. This sheet is painted with one of their universal symbols for "private."
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Many of the traditional hutongs, defined by narrow alleyways and single-story courtyard style houses, have been razed to make way for high rises and slick new modern office buildings. These symbols—like this pair for "then" (left) and "now" (rich)—illustrate those underlying tensions.
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Another tension is between the "rich" (left) and "poor" (right).
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Western influences—like bigger cars and new restaurants—are slowly creeping in, so many of the symbol pairings describe east versus west, like this bowl of rice and chopsticks next to a hamburger.
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To get started on In a Simplified World, Lava looked at Chinese characters for inspiration.
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Throughout the *In A Simplified World* series, many of the symbol pairings share graphic elements. Here, "then" (left) and "now" (right).
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There are a total of 96 symbol pairings. Some pairings are more literal, like this one for east and west...
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...and others are more bemusing, like this illustration for "rich" (left) and "poor" (right).
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Naturally, technology plays a large role in the hutong changes. "Then," on the left, and "now," on the right.
Photo: Lava10P1040901
There's a pervasive design paradox in Beijing: symbols are everywhere, but not there’s not a logo in sight. Lava painted their symbols around the neighborhoods (with temporary materials).
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"East" and "west."
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"Rich" and "poor."
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There's also a tension in the hutongs between public and private. In these neighborhoods, it's normal for residents of different households to use communal bathrooms—something Westerners wouldn't do. "Public," on the left, and "private," on the right.
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Symbol pairings for "public" and "private."
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"Then" and "now."
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"Then" and "now."
