The cultures of cities have changed with the arrival of more affluent residents. They bring their tastes and lifestyles adding to the diversity of cities. And, according to some online observers, their tastes can be seen even in the numbers on their homes, as well as their color and design. For example, the term “gentrification font” emerged as a meme a few years ago when someone posted a photo of a house number on a slatted wooden fence wryly calling it “gentrification font.” The typeface and simple, straight lines of the numbers were instantly recognizable to many who noticed them on homes in their neighborhoods. These house numbers have a similar sans serif font, a typeface suggesting a simpler, low key modern look.
Another example of the preference for the simple, modern look of sans serif font.
In contrast to sans serif numbers, those with serif fonts are more decorative with added lines and curves.
Another example of serif font with a downstroke at the top of the “7” and the added base line at the bottom.
Gentrification font, which can range from Avenir to Futura to Century Gothic, can be found on apartment houses and businesses as well. In contrast to Times New Roman and Comic Sans, these fonts are seen as simpler, conveying a modern,minimalist design.
Shake Shack’s lettering is an example of sans serif typeface. It’s on all its buildings, menus and bags. Shake Shack’s particular typeface is an important part of its brand and image. Choosing the right font is also important to the identity of many other businesses as well as city governments. What kind of font does Jersey City favor?
Another aspect of the gentrification aesthetic, according to some, is the “gentrification railing” – the sleek, black metal railing lining the steps of many homes. This was joyfully captured in a meme by another online amateur urban anthropologist.
The exterior color of homes has also been noted by some observers as another indicator of the aesthetics of gentrification. “Gentrification gray ” has been coined to highlight the color preference of many homeowners in gentrifying areas of cities. It is often a mix of gray and black colors in non-glossy flat tones so as not to appear ostentatious and to maintain a minimalist appearance.
The gray-black look can also be seen on the exteriors of many mid-rise luxury housing apartment buildings. Its prevalence is off-putting to many. According to one critic: “I walk the neighborhood every day and I see all these gray houses. It’s like being in a cemetery.” Another associates them with, “army barracks, computers, freeways, cemeteries and prisons.” But she adds: “My guess is that developers are investing in gray with the hopes of luring high-income renters. In the past ten years, certain grays have become synonymous with high-end architecture.”
The gray color of these new luxury apartment houses stand in contrast to the older red-bricked, rent-controlled buildings in the city.
Aside from its color, there is a particular size and shape to most luxury housing that has been called, – you guessed it – the “gentrification building.” It refers to the boxy mid-rise apartment houses popping up in cities all over the country. They are a familiar site with their flat windows, and streamlined synthetic siding atop street level retail, commercial and parking spaces.
The uniform appearance of so many homes and similar taste preferences of many residents may be related to the influence of social media in which we are attuned to the tastes of our peers and social groups. The pandemic may have played a role as well with those fortunate enough to work at home having more time to focus on home improvement. However, the aesthetic critique of the architecture of gentrification may have a deeper meaning. As more than one observer has noted, behind the jabs at the look and feel of gentrified buildings are fears of rising housing costs and displacement. But in focusing on the cultural symbols of gentrification and tastes of the upper middle class, are critics distracted from examining the causes of gentrification and in seeking solutions to the housing crisis?
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- Gentrification Math & the False Promise of Affordable Housing
- Why is the City Selling Public Property to Luxury Housing Developers?
- Why So Much Luxury Housing in a City Where Most Can’t Afford It?
- Why Do So Many New Apartment Houses Look Alike?
- Signs of Gentrification: House Numbers, Their Color and Design
Jersey City Today 