The World Trade Center Lives On, in the Form of Logos
Designer Ji Lee's WTC Preservation Project Captures Branded Takes on the Twin Towers
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Ji Lee, communication designer at Facebook and former Google Creative Lab and Droga5 staffer, is behind this 9/11 archival project, the WTC Logo Preservation Project. The Flickr set seeks to preserve the memory of the World Trade Center in the form of logos, good and bad, that incorporated the twin towers into their design. Among them are images from global brands like DKNY, to local shops like Kossar's Bialys, as well as license plate imprints, neon signs and street murals. His project leverages branded messages to acknowledge the tragedy in a reverent, respectable way -- unlike advertisers' clumsy, misdirected social media tributes from today.
"After 9/11, I started to noticed the Twin Towers in many logos containing the New York City skyline," he writes on the site. "These were mostly from small businesses: dry cleaners, delis, movers, and so on. I experienced a strange mix of sadness and joy seeing the iconic towers standing there majestically, as if nothing happened.
"These logos will not last forever as many of the small business will either update their logos at some point or close their doors eventually. Thus the Twin Towers would sadly vanish forever. In order to preserve them, I started photographing them whenever I found one -- and there are many of them around. Soon it became an enjoyable game every time I was on the streets of New York, like a treasure hunt which never ceases to be rewarding."
Those looking to contribute to the pool can join the WTC Preservation Project here.