A public signage system designed to prevent street solicitation around the south exit of Kinshicho Station in Sumida City. The project reinterprets anti-solicitation communication not as a negative warning, but as a positive campaign based on local affection and shared awareness. The catchphrase “Machi ni Ai” carries a double meaning: ai means “love” in Japanese, while it also sounds like the English word eye. This layered phrase expresses both love for the town and eyes watching over the street.
The system uses existing bollards, pavement signs, certified store stickers, and pamphlets as interconnected communication media. Previously overlooked and poorly maintained bollards were wrapped with vivid graphic sheets, transforming them into small urban media that continuously communicate the area’s stance against street solicitation. Pavement signs were placed in priority areas to draw attention along pedestrian movement, while certified stickers and pamphlets visualized store participation and helped explain the campaign’s purpose.
Rather than relying only on staff-led guidance or prohibitive banners, the project creates a visual environment where the streetscape itself communicates the message. Through bright colors, heart and eye motifs, and repeated deployment across the district, the campaign encourages a safer and more comfortable walking experience while giving the streetscape a more visible, approachable, and caring identity.
Client: Sumida City
Art Direction : Ikjoon CHANG
Design : Hisa NIMI, Jooyeon LIM, Saya MORINAGA, Shogo YANAGISAWA, Shima KAMEI
Assistant Design : Zhenyi ZHONG, Dechatanapong PHAWAT
