AIGA/DOT Symbol Signs: Escalator
The pattern
This still is filed under Mark as compressed claim.
Define
The mark itself is the sentence: a monogram, a seal, a device that already means the claim.
Mechanism
Compression. Years of use, or a very sharp first use, load the device so it can appear without copy.
Verdict
The mark is already loaded, or we will spend to load it
Why it works
The strong diagonal composition creates a sense of dynamic movement. The abstraction of the escalator mechanism into a continuous loop focuses on the function rather than the complex mechanics.
Steal this when
You need to depict automated movement by emphasizing the trajectory rather than the machine itself. *Collection note: One of the 50 passenger and pedestrian symbols AIGA developed for the US DOT and released copyright-free; still the base layer of every airport wayfinding system* ---