This logotype was created for the Commercial Drive neighborhood of Vancouver, BC, an area I have lived in ever since I moved to Canada. It was created in my Type Design class with Ross Milne at Emily Carr University, in a project which explores the varying styles of vernacular lettering in different neighborhoods. I began with a hand-sketched series of letterforms, and eventually transformed it into a digital illustration. I selected Commercial Drive because it is rich in local history, and I was particularly inspired by the Italian influence in the area. Hence, it is called the "Little Italy" of Vancouver. I wanted my logotype to reflect that Italian heritage in a turn-of-the-century aesthetic consistent with era Commercial Drive began to grow. The photograph looks north on The Drive in 1927, and is courtesy of The Vancouver Archives, donated by K.G. Scrimgeour.