Take Your Time.
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February 11, 2003 “Imagine a computer that could solve the downtown traffic problem. This is the long-range potential of a new kind of computer invented by Westinghouse, one that could control 10,000 traffic signals, and move more cars with fewer delays.” So predicts a 1961 advertisement from Westinghouse. |
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The traffic light is but a node within a system that enforces order and flow. And although the framework has evolved, its function has remained similar through the years–chiefly designed to be viewed from great distances. The modern signal was invented in Ohio in 1923. It was based on the railroad signal, and used just green and red. The signal I have chosen to inspect is from the City of New Haven. Decommissioned and antiquated, it’s a 42-inch tall aluminum-clad beacon with a 40-year history. The majority of the components are from the rust-belt; showing scars and dents from years of service. The curved hoods are detachable, replaceable; and the interior pieces swing out like a refrigerator door. An inefficient 116-Watt bulb illum-inates three synthetic lenses. Manufactured byt Lexalite and put into operation within the last 20 years, the lenses are unbreakable 12-inch diameter synthetic disks, concentrically aligned to the bulb, the hood and the reflector. According to the manufacturer, its patterned surface distributes light evenly. Its curve evoking more modern engineering feats such as Santiago Calatrava’s “City of Science” in Valencia, Spain; also where the neces-sities of engineering lead to its form. Just as the materials have surpassed my particular signal. The roadway, now, too, is as efficient as ever. Society has caught up to Westinghouse’s 40-year-old vision and is speed-ing our lives up. Sensors can detect a car’s presence either underground or by camera, keeping you on the road less. But is the average citizen looking to increase flow? When would one have time to decompress or check the map to assure you’re not lost. It’s these short pauses, akin to elevator rides or waiting in lines at grocery stores, that create opportunities for personal expression and sharing. Photo-graphs from Kurt Caviezel’s book, Red Light. Even in the futuristic cartoon “The Jetsons,” traffic lights mark pauses in space travel, creating the opportunity for rest in a society demanding everyone’s time. Why isn’t George Jetson’s plane equipped with a GPS tracker that can tell if there’s anyone about to cross his path, allowing him to move expeditously home? Perhaps more important than the pauses in our day, the traffic light reminds us that there is order. A metronome-type device that unobservantly functions; marking time in a colorful way. And the symbol of this order, may be good enough to keep it a fixture in society much longer than it is technically necessary to do so. References 1 Caviezel, Kurt. Red Light. Zurich; New York: Edition Patrick Frey, c/o Scalo, 1999. 2 Rand, Paul. A Designer's Art. New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1985. p11. |
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 . . . This essay appears in the book Pause, Decide, Continue. . . . See the design for this book |
Master's Thesis,
Yale University
. . .
John Caserta