The above piece was chosen because of the very utilitarian nature and purpose of the signage. Typography stripped down to its bare bones. No serifs, no decoration, just hierarchy of what you see first, resolved only by the relationships in scale and weight contrast between words. The words are set centered on the plane, reading the sign attracts attention immediately to CAUTION, then buried cable, then an explanation of consequences of what tampering can do—entry may result in physical injury. The sign communicates WHAT >WHERE HOW > WHY > WHO in that order precisely just from the visual hierarchy.

The cold, unattractive utilitarian nature of the typography is the effective element that forwarns a person from injuring/killing themselves, and it probably wouldnt be as effective if it were otherwise.


—Brian Gerard Elicierto