This is a very sound breaking news graphic.
It answers the main question of the story - How did the fire spread?
It uses a photo of the actual flats - no isometric, 'diagrammatic' style vector illustrations - just the actual, truthful, visceral image of what actually happened with some minimal information overlaid.
It would be great to see more of these - where the storytellers eschew using 3d/ complex illustrations and cut straight to the chase.
Breaking news graphics are the staple of news design teams and should be celebrated more than the more whimsical features that tend to get the praise.
BBC News (either the six o'clock bulletin or the london one I think) had a very similar graphic, imposing outlines over a still of the building, illustrating the spread of the fire and the action the fire fighters took. I was quite surprised given that TV graphics are so often just screen time fillers.
Posted by: Tom | July 11, 2009 at 02:15 PM
It is indeed an excellent breaking news graphic, which was then replicated in the Evening Standard, although there is no shame in that. If the glove fits ware it... no doubt readers of the ES would never pick up or suscribe to the Sunday Telegraph. And no shame in chosing to base information over a photo. As the previous comment suggest just 'cut to the chase' [and deliver the news]...
Posted by: michael | July 20, 2009 at 12:22 PM