Won't you be my neighbor: getting creative with display

As soon as the dust settled into our new digs, we started look out at our new home, NuLu, and how we fit into it. Our passion for community was always a factor in the decision to move into a free-standing building, but it wasn’t until we were here that we began to process the experience of neighborhood newness. Our routine has been replaced with a new one that has a different cast of characters and new storylines. It’s been a perfect storm of things we orchestrated and those we didn’t that have established our new normal. It’s been exciting for us. We’re feeling pretty lucky to have had this opportunity and want to share it with others.

At VIA we love the chances we get to explore our creativity. We consistently have internal projects that help us grow together as a team. Living in a neighborhood with foot traffic and in a space with huge windows for the first time, we decided to start the dialogue that this place will have with the people around it.

Last week we installed a window display and hand-painted sign on the alley-facing side of our building. We chose this side in hopes that the traffic from Market St. would pass by during trolley hop. The signage which is close to Clay St. is a quote from Mr Rogers, the best neighbor we could think of.

Keeping with our theme the window contains another quote from the Mr Rogers Neighborhood television show that is perhaps better known.

This quote was chosen out of many remarkable quotes from the show using an internal poll. It is part of the Mr Rogers Neighborhood theme song. The song goes on to say, I’ve always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.

We’re just putting it out there. We’re happy to be here.

Let’s be together today

If you get a chance to pass by and you feel compelled to snap a photo of yourself by our building or of any part of our display, hashtag it #viastudio, so we can be in this together.

Making something with our hands
Being a digital agency, you probably think we are super into tech. You’re right, but we also really love to make things with our hands. Ideas come from everywhere and aren’t limited to a specific medium. This project was an exercise in skills we don’t always get the chance to use. Our illustrator and muralist, Pat Sheehan, hand-painted the trolley and first quote sign. Art Directors, Emilee Dover and Amber Glisson constructed display letters from sweaters and cardboard and installed it with the help of Creative Director, Jason Clark.