The island on the south side of Chicago.
Baseline is a project rooted in research, activism, urban design, art, and branding all using the engine of the graphic design practice. It employs design as a tool for civic engagement, using visual communication to interrogate, challenge and reshape a social environment for the reclamation of important public spaces, Outdoor Basketball Courts.
Baseline’s primary focus is the removal of outdoor basketball courts in Chicago’s 19th Ward, a predominantly white, southwest-side neighborhood. Beginning in the late 20th century, courts were systematically dismantled under the guise of public safety concern, a decision deeply intertwined with racialized fears of Black youth and efforts to control who could access shared spaces. Today the ward exist as island, stripped of all courts except one stationed on its border.
Baseline seeks to uncover and visualize this history, in turn advocating for the restoration of equitable courts for everyone. Rooted in the belief that design should not exist in isolation from real-world issues, Baseline blends urban issues with creative practice. Each initiative under Baseline is grounded in deep research, historical, social, or spatial, resulting in work that spark conversations about urban life.
Category
Creative Campaign Design + Visual Identity for Urban Infrastructure + Brand Identity + Book / Print Design + Mapping
Year
2025
Client / Context
Bfa Capstone, The City of Chicago
The heart of the project, the baseline book, works to educate by uncovering history and amplifying community conversation. As archive and advocacy, it sparks dialogue and actionable steps toward equitable public space.
It is highly recommended that you read the text to understand the context of the work.
Written by Jaylon Cox • Click top right to flip.
The primary Baseline logomark was built with layers of important symbolism. Its partnership with minimalism helps to explain an intricate narrative. The ten circles symbolize both basketballs and the ten players needed for a standard game. One circle is divided, symbolizing a division of community, the minority and the majority. When counted in sequence, one and nine, they form nineteen, a significant nod to Chicago’s 19th Ward.
The secondary Baseline logomark complements the primary mark by simplifying the narrative in favor of practicality. The sharp, assertive lines of the “19” evoke strength and impact, while the ball integrated in counter space signifies basketballs belonging within the nineteenth ward
Adapted from Neulis Sans, a typeface that is crafted to be accessible and unique, the letter forms of the baseline wordmark represent “the shapes of the court”, such as the threepoint line, baskets or key.
More than 30 outdoor basketball courts surround Chicago’s 19th Ward,
Within its 3 neighborhoods Beverly, Mount Greenwood, and Morgan Park, there is only 1.
The map below is an accurate delineation of outdoor basketball courts in and around the 19th Ward.