What is a city design code, and how does it affect the design approval of outdoor advertising

We have already touched on the issue of creating an entrance group for a store, including a sign, a firewall, citylights and lightboxes in our article on the activities of Bill Bernbach. But effective advertising is not the only criterion to follow when designing a sign. The sign must not only be developed and made, ensuring the attractiveness and durability of manufacture, but also agreed in the department of architecture of the city. Coordination of outdoor advertising is based on certain norms, they are determined by a certain design code.

Depending on the region, our clients have different difficulties associated with the design of signs. One of them is following the city’s design code. Obviously, these requirements are different everywhere and are approved by the city council at the session. Moreover, there are no guarantees that in a few years the rejection criteria will not be expanded, and the rules for outdoor advertising will be changed. We decided to compare the design code of Kiev and Odessa and demonstrate the differences.

Outdoor advertising rules in force in Odessa

In Odessa, the approval of outdoor advertising is traditionally carried out in the department of architecture of the city. The chief architect is involved in this. Despite the long-standing desire of the inhabitants of Odessa to make high-quality and beautiful signs, you cannot say the same on the city facades of Odessa now that professional censorship really works upon approval.

At the same time, there is a document, which can be found at the link: http://design-code.archodessa.com/.

The main requirement of the design code is “attention to architecture”.

The document stipulates the following rules for outdoor advertising:

• requirements for signs, differing in types, for example, for volumetric letters, light boxes (signs on a substrate), lightboxes (signs on a bracket), and so on;
• requirements for the typeface of the title;
• shop window design rules;
• the rules that non-standard signs must comply with;
• the criteria for the placement of signs in different places are described, for example: on the gate, on the side of the entrance, on glass and in the inter-window space;
• the type of backlight used is determined with a description of the prohibited cases.

Odessa City Council tried to show examples of successful use of outdoor advertising rules, instead a list of three outdoor advertising agencies appears on the page.

Meanwhile, Alexander Levitsky became the organizer of the design code development in Odessa in 2015. The photo shows an example of the compliance of signs with the new rules according to his version. Levitsky’s version is, of course, more attractive than the existing facades. But we can also say that the initiative was not fully implemented.

Interestingly, Levitsky proposed to abandon (with a photo of the source) the signage on the substrate. They, according to his version, should be allowed to be installed only in special advertising spaces. Volumetric letters, of course, significantly increase the cost of any outdoor advertising production.

Design code of outdoor advertising in Kiev and approval by our agency

The design code for the capital began to be developed around 2016. On this occasion, a petition was opened in 2016. In Kiev, the rules for outdoor advertising did not appear as a new separate document, although excerpts can be found in the petition. For example, in Dnipro, a similar document was adopted in 2020. So Kiev outdoor advertising agencies work according to the old rules, but try to follow common sense, prioritizing architecture in design development.

Outdoor advertising agency “Elite” produces signs at the intersection of artistic, architectural requirements and the wishes of the client. Our specialists will be able to create a layout that fits some averaged classic design code. At the same time, full coordination of outdoor advertising is carried out.

Examples of the application of the design code in European cities

Good luck with the promotion,

your outdoor advertising agency “Elite”.