Banner designs left to right by Amber Sustaita of James Monroe Middle School, Samantha Worm of Sandia High School, Alex Zarate of Grant Middle School and Amanda Williams of Highland High School

In October, the first in a series of planned executions of The Urban Forest Project officially launched in Albuquerque, with banners by local artists and designers on display throughout downtown Albuquerque. This past week, student banners were unveiled at the Rio Grande Zoo at the BioPark. Over 80 Albuquerque area middle and high school students participated, with sixteen banners selected by a jury of creative professionals along with a City of Albuquerque representative. These banners, currently on display at the Zoo, will be up though the New Year.

In celebration of Earth and Arbor Days 2010, The Urban Forest Project, will launch in San Francisco, Toledo and Washington, DC in April. To learn more, please visit: www.ufp-global.com

Banner designs left to right by Janice Arroyo, Katya Crawford, Tristan Pittard, Rudi Backart, Janice Arroyo and Jamie Jett Walker

The Urban Forest Project launched in Albuquerque, NM on October 1st with a kick-off event at the Open Space Visitors Center. Banners by local artists and designers are currently displayed on light poles throughout downtown Albuquerque. Each banner incorporates the form or metaphor of the tree, making a powerful visual statement about the environment. The city is using the project as an education and messaging platform for AlbuquerqueGreen, the city’s innovative environmental program.

The banners will move to various high-traffic areas of the city through Spring 2010, at which time they will be recycled into unique tote bags designed for the project and sold exclusively through local Whole Foods Markets. Sales from the bags will benefit Tree New Mexico, supporting their tree planting efforts in Albuquerque and mission to “keep New Mexico clean, beautiful and healthy.”

K-12 public schools students will also have a chance to submit designs for additional banners that will be hung in November in the Rio Grande Zoo at the BioPark. Wells Fargo helped support this aspect of the program.

The Urban Forest Project was first executed in New York City’s Times Square in the fall of 2006 in partnership with the Times Square Alliance. Albuquerque is the first in a series of planned executions worldwide. Spring 2010 will see the project unfolding in San Francisco, Toledo and Washington, DC. To learn more, visit The Urban Forest Project website: www.ufp-global.com

This project, conceived and implemented by Worldstudio, is being presented in collaboration with: City of Albuquerque and Tree New Mexico, with generous support from Jamie Jett Walker, LithExcel, PNM Resources, Inc, Mesa del Sol, TaGG Studios, Wells Fargo and Whole Foods Market.

Banner designs left to right by Number 17, David Slatoff, Carin Goldberg, Marian Bantjes, Paul Sahre & James Victore

The successful love banner campaign that debuted last February is coming to Times Square again just in time for Valentine’s Day. Worldstudio worked with the Times Square Alliance to create a public art project featuring fifteen unique banner designs by eleven reknowned graphic designers and illustrators: Marian Bantjes, Rodrigo Corral, John Fulbrook, Goodesign, Carin Goldberg, Number 17, Paul Sahre, David Slatoff, James Victore, Chip Wass and Worldstudio. Each banner utilizes the word “LOVE” in a strikingly different typographic treatment.

Visit the crossroads of the world during the month of February to see the banners in person or click here to view all the designs on the Times Square Alliance website.

Banner designs by Nina Mettler, Worldstudio

Banner design by Chip Wass