They’re everywhere and they’re getting bigger. Amman’s billboards are out of control and the trend shows no sign of abating. What is noticeable is the amount of empty billboards we see these days. These are either un-rented or newly constructed billboards.
The backside of these billboards is often an un-intended, mostly ugly, by-product. As these billboards get bigger and bigger in size, driven by competition between advertisers, so does the supporting structure needed to keep them in place. The result: a cacophony of metal pipes on the roof of many buildings, large and small.
Last winter we saw how a number of large billboards in Amman were either tipped over or bent by the wind. If having a tin-filled skyline doesn’t matter to us Ammanis, how about our safety.
While carefully designed and placed billboards can give a city a more colorful and urban feel, Amman’s excessive billboards are mostly causing visual chaos. Chaotic and excessive billboards are a hallmark of Third World cities, where advertisers can simply get away with everything as long as they pay their billboard dues to the municipality.

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One response to “Amman’s tin skyline”

  1. Essam Abu awad Avatar
    Essam Abu awad

    I am working on a research discuss the Impact of sings on Architecture and Environment for PhD. post graduate degree.The study needs to show ways of solving and answering different practical issues. There will be different and many design works that will replace the present situation. These designs will lead to achieve the goals of implementing the proper rules for every case that concern sign work. Rules will be helpful to the municipal authority to ensure that the number, size, location and nature of outdoor signs in different areas are in accordance with the character and amenity of those areas and the community’s needs.