Architect Protects His Crayon Columns

CINCINNATI (CN) - An architect claims in court that rivals are violating copyright on his "crayon-shaped columns" for a day care center.

Patrick Hansford dba Patrick Hansford Associates claims copyrighted his "Cradles to Crayons Daycare" design, which "incorporates within its scope protectable expression associated with architectural elements, including crayon-shaped columns which are used in connection with children's daycare facilities."

He sued nine defendants, all in or around Cincinnati, including ALK Kaiser Group, Yankee Development, and six John Does.

He claims that all of them infringed on his copyright "through their ownership and/or operation of children's daycare facilities that employ crayon-shaped columns ... [that] were copied from a facility ... [that] incorporates the copyrighted design elements with authorization from the plaintiff."

"Representatives of at least ALK Kaiser and T&J Kaiser have admitted in connection with public proceedings of the Centerville Planning Commission that their children's daycare facilities, and those entities having franchisees therewith, employ crayon-shaped columns. ... A representative of ALK Kaiser and T&J Kaiser admitted, against interest, at the proceeding that the crayon-columns were a significant part of the branding of the building," Hansford say in the complaint.

Hansford seeks an order that the defendants violated his copyright and an injunction forcing them to remove all crayon-columns from their buildings, and $150,000 in statutory damages.

He is represented by Brett Schatz, with Wood, Herron and Evans.

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