Frida Larios was interviewed by BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Friday 18 May 2007

Frida Larios, our director and University of the Arts Associate Lecturer, and Jamie Hobson, Course Director of the Graphic and Media Design degree course at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, were interviewed* on the no smoking sign design to be implemented by law on all public spaces in the United Kingdom, from 1 July 2007

Frida proposed a 'no smoking' sign design based on her 'New Maya Hieroglyphs' project, as a signage exercise that is relevant to the architectural content. This sign is available to download by the general public on the BBC Radio 4 'Today' programme and on this website, as an alternative for the standard and sterile sign that is offered by the UK government. The main problem is that the no smoking sign must be displayed in all churches, mosques and sinagogues and it does not integrate to the historic arquitecture and period of these buildings. During the interview Frida described her design: "I took a more human approach and based my design on the Maya hieroglyphs, my sign has more character: it's more alive."

Coincidentally, the same happens in the Central American region where signage has sometimes little relevance to the context where it is put, this is part of the solution that the 'New Maya Hieroglyphs' offer. We invite you to download the sign here and freely use it in your homes, work places and offices (after accepting and reading the terms and conditions), and in this way, help promote symbols that add cultural value and differentiate us from the rest of the globalised world.

*Click here to download the interview. Using Real Player scroll through the sound file to approximately 14:00 minutes.
Click here to download Real Player.

Read more about the news by downloading the "El Diario de Hoy" press article published on 24 May 2007 here or accesing the Sign Design Society's website