Phonoaesthetics & Joanna Newsom • Design in the Darkest Corners
Yes, I’d like to redesign the walkway under the bridge. This is about as low as it gets on the status pole for designers. Viaducts are the forgotten design of Chicago infrastructure. And yet, it’s a crucial hub for mobility. For many, especially those coming from the airport, it might be the first impression of Chicago. For others, it’s a daily interaction. Many have tried, but I have yet to see any material progress on improving the conditions. The sidewalk is dark, scummy, smelly, graffiti smeared, pigeon infested, and generally unpleasant. I’ve actually made several inroads on the problem, but the bureaucracy is kludgy and the problem is multifaceted.
The first thing I’d redesign is organizational responsibility. There is no one single entity responsible and it sits between districts. If you attempt to fix anything in Chicago, you quickly realize that a rabbit warren of ownership inhibits progress.
In terms of urban design, placing the subway in between two highways, requiring pedestrians to walk under a bridge is a gross display of incompetence. This is like designing a shelter for rats and pigeons and then asking pedestrians to intrude upon their home. But, changing infrastructure is hard, so let’s focus on surface-level changes. Relocate the pigeons using the European model. Fine those who feed the pigeons. Scrap the painted murals. Acrylic paint on an exterior concrete surface is a fool’s errand. Instead, commission a design system that uses a durable surface that can endure weather and graffiti. Install proper garbage cans that are easy for sanitation workers to empty. Design lighting that is warm, bright, atmospheric. Bring back coffee shops and newsstands. De-install CTA booths and replace them with standing bars (like a concierge). This will make staff more conversational and mobile. Install a bikeshare rack. Replace landscaping with sustainable, native plants. Design planters that could act as a barrier between sidewalk and cars. I could go on, but I’ll save it for another day.
If anyone else is interested in working on this problem, please send me a note. In the world of design, too much oxygen is given over to agency side graphic design, like corporate branding. Maybe urban design has a PR problem. Yes, I’m sure the case study for the protein cookie rebrand is great, but urban design needs higher visibility and status, especially in American cities.
Phonoaesthetics is the study of pleasant sounding words. A recent poll attempted to identify the most beautiful words in the english language. At the top of the list — diaphanous, mellifluous, diaphonous, ethereal. Also mentioned — halcyon, susurrous, lithe, epiphany, effervescent, eloquent, luminous, sensuous, pearlescent, willow, tranquility, sonorous. The poll, sponsored by a language learning app with support from the Poetry Society of America, is more content marketing than scientific study, but I find this topic interesting. I would add a vote for iridescent and Lamine Yamal. The former a reference to color-shifting hues and the latter the name of the Spanish soccer player, whose name has Arabic origins. Is there a combination of sounds finer than this name? For more, here’s the source. All interesting.
Joanna Newsom is still not on Spotify. Vinyl records and CDs and live shows are the only methods for listening. This is the song that I return to, from the album, Have One on Me.
Her interest in language was clear from the first record.
The thing is, I don’t know why, but…I do have a real belief that the exact right word—in terms of conveying meaning as efficiently and correctly and concisely as possible—will also be the word that agrees in terms of rhyme, musical weight, syllabic weight, beauty, and elegance.
I think that words are magical. All of that effort is all about uncovering the word that is just sitting there waiting for you and when you find it it’s like—the equivalent of watching your team get a touchdown.
That's from a great interview she did with The Stranger in 2016.
Nabakov was a big influence. “…with him you have a person who is hypersensitive to language, hypersensitive to the effects that different words have when they bump up against each other. And an extremely rich vocabulary. The way that he refracts a sentence, plays around with it, rethinks it, is really inspiring to me.”
From another good interview, early in her career, in The Believer.
Paying attention to her use of phonoaesthetics, or pure musicality of her language and its interplay with with the literal musical notes, is another way of appreciating her songs.
There’s something about her marriage to a comedian that makes perfect sense. Andy Samberg justified the marriage with a reference to one of my favorite childhood movies. When asked what she sees in Roger Rabbit, Jessica Rabbit says, “He makes me laugh.”
With a prompt, I asked why Joanna Newsom is not on Spotify.
“Because she doesn’t want to be.” Was the reply.
—Michael Neault • written while others were napping • reply to this email with thoughts