GOOD EXAMPLE: New England Holocaust Memorial

The memorial is six glass stacks. The number six represents the six million Jews killed and the six main concentration camps. The six glass towers have lower sections where six million numbers are etched into the glass in an orderly pattern, reminiscent of Nazi tattoos. Personal statements by Holocaust survivors are inscribed over the numbers at the base of the glass towers. People walk through the glass stacks as they visit the memorial. As they do so, they see their reflection in the glass as well as the city surroundings. The first and last word a memorial visitor encounters is "remember" written in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish. Notably, the memorial is on the Freedom Trail.

It's a good example because the typographic information enriches an already beautiful architectural element with meaning and symbolism.

BAD EXAMPLE: New York City Subway Stations

Signs often display too much information, so that it's difficult to understand the their meaning. Additionally, change of service announcements are often displayed in the Subway, after the passenger has entered and paid the fair.

It's a bad example because they system has too many confusing signs and poorly marked last minute changes.