Field Notes: Utility Box Covers
Utility boxes are among those necessary features of modern life that add little to the built environment – in most cases. Some have been painted, others have been wrapped. They can convert a message artistically or philosophically. In Seattle the boxes were used for neighborhood branding and wayfinding. Recently when I was visiting New Brunswick, New Jersey, I found a box that highlighted African American history, recognizing James Price Johnson who was known as “the dean of Jazz pianists.” Secondarily the box helped to identify the Performing Arts District. New Brunswick City Center was responsible for this well executed project.
