Going Underground tells of another new design for the Tube map, this time with curves, making it easier to follow whilst being more similar to the geographical map (without the scale issues that brings in the very middle and at the outer reaches):
I really like it - clean, easy-to-read and indicates better the actual direction you are heading. But is London ready for it - what do you think?
It would wreck the Smirnoff Adverts
ReplyDeletehideous. It looks like the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
ReplyDeleteI think it looks good but, for central London, it doesn't help much at all. The difference between it and the one we have is marginal. You have to admit the one we have is a work of genius.
ReplyDeleteI think it /was/ a work of genius at the time but as the lines have expanded and forked and lengthened and joined and merged and crossed, it is less suitable to try to force them to maintain the same rules of Harry Beck's original template.
ReplyDeleteI'm really into this; if I can get a decent resolution version, I shall make a poster for the new house :)
There's a good point made by a commenter on going underground which is that while it looks really exciting and more relevant for seasoned users who know the system already it probably looks a lot more daunting to first time viewers - and first time viewers are daunted enough.
ReplyDeleteI love it though, I'd have one on my wall in fact I did make one before - I'll try and remember to post it up tonight it wasn't really the same it just was teh regular map distorted. I'm just not sure it does that tourist thing as well as it could.
I absolutely adore the current tube map - I'm the sad owner of posters of no less than 6 'subverted' versions (one of which is framed above the mantel piece in my sitting room for my sins). My initial reaction was one of "Gah! what a load of old rubbish!", but... The more I look at it the more I like it. Would I put it on my wall though?
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