Bird’s Eye View, an initiative of the Graphic & Interactive Design program at Tyler School of Art, aims to raise awareness of this problem at Temple and across the city of Philadelphia and to explore visual options for effective window film patterns. This exhibition includes the work of design students at the sophomore, junior and senior levels. The brief for this project was to design a pattern that would be conceptually and visually compelling for human viewers while being an effective deterrent to birds that might otherwise fly directly into the windows where they are installed.
One of the greatest dangers to birds is the widespread use of glass in urban structures. As many as a billion birds die each year when they fly into both reflective and non-reflective glass surfaces. This tragic loss of precious wildlife is a serious threat to the survival of many species, particularly migratory birds. Many ways to mitigate this problem are currently being explored. One possible solution, applying specialized film to windows, is intended to enable birds to recognize windows as an obstruction. These films have visible patterns on them and are being tested in a variety of locations including The Philadelphia Zoo and Temple University’s Main Campus.
