Most every dweller of a city with a robust pubÂlic tranÂsit sysÂtem comes to idenÂtiÂfy their boundÂaries with the lines, angles, and colÂors of its subÂway map. This is true of my homeÂtown, WashÂingÂton, DC, at least since the popÂuÂlar adopÂtion of its Metro sysÂtem in the 80s. It’s many times truer of my adoptÂed city for ten years, New York, whose more than 100-year-old subÂway sysÂtem has givÂen urban hisÂtoÂriÂans enough mateÂrÂiÂal for lifeÂlong study. The hisÂtoÂry of the NYC subÂway maps offers a speÂcialÂized area for stuÂdents of design, who must sureÂly know the name MasÂsiÂmo VignelÂli, the modÂernist designÂer who named the DC Metro and creÂatÂed the notoÂriÂous 1972 NYC TranÂsit map that, writes the MTA (Metro TranÂsit AuthorÂiÂty), “reimagÂined the MTA New York City TranÂsit subÂway sysÂtem as a neat grid of colÂored lines surÂroundÂed by a beige ocean.” The map will be familÂiar, and perÂhaps even a token of nosÂtalÂgia, to New YorkÂers from the era, who may also recall the comÂplaints the MTA received for the map’s “geoÂgraphÂic inacÂcuÂraÂcies” and “aesÂthetÂic conÂfuÂsion.” NonetheÂless, “design fans […] celÂeÂbratÂed the map and made it a covÂetÂed souÂvenir of trips to New York. It latÂer became part of the postÂwar design colÂlecÂtion at the MuseÂum of ModÂern Art.” In the video above, excerptÂed from the 2007 design docÂuÂmenÂtary HelÂvetiÂca, VignelÂli revisÂits his tranÂsit map design (below), which he adoptÂed from the LonÂdon UnderÂground map.
Click here to view in a largÂer forÂmat.
VignelÂli, who passed away TuesÂday at the age of 83, worked closeÂly with his wife Leila on a wide range of design projects—his motÂto, “if you can design one thing, you can design everyÂthing.” A great many of those subÂway ridÂers in 1972 may have disÂagreed. While preÂviÂous and subÂseÂquent maps, includÂing the curÂrent design, proÂvide a geoÂgraphÂiÂcalÂly preÂcise renÂderÂing of the five borÂoughs, with details of major avenues and parks and waterÂways in simÂple greens and blues, Vignelli’s map is forÂmal and abstract, more art object than guideÂpost. As a newÂcomÂer to the city, I used my pockÂet-sized MTA map to guide me around on foot as well as by train (this was before smartÂphones, mind you), but this would be quite difÂfiÂcult if not imposÂsiÂble with the ’72 verÂsion. Yet in his reassessÂment of the design, VignelÂli says that he should have stripped away even the few geoÂgraphÂiÂcal refÂerÂences he did include because “the peoÂple couldn’t relate the geogÂraÂphy with the staÂtions.” For VignelÂli, “there is no reaÂson why this geogÂraÂphy has to be litÂerÂal, it could be comÂpleteÂly abstract.” How this would betÂter help ridÂers navÂiÂgate the hugeÂly extenÂsive sysÂtem isn’t at all clear, but what is apparÂent is Vignelli’s comÂmitÂment to form over utilÂiÂtarÂiÂan funcÂtion. It’s a comÂmitÂment that served him very well as a designÂer, though not, it seems, as a carÂtogÂraÂphÂer. For more on Vignelli’s design phiÂlosÂoÂphy, see his 2012 interÂview with Big Think.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
UnderÂciÂty: ExplorÂing the UnderÂbelÂly of New York City
VinÂtage Video: A New York City SubÂway Train TravÂels From 14th St. to 42nd Street (1905)
Bauhaus, ModÂernism & OthÂer Design MoveÂments Explained by New AniÂmatÂed Video Series
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness.
MelÂbourne’s curÂrent train map was defÂiÂniteÂly inspired by VignelÂli.
He isn’t wrong in that the LonÂdon UnderÂground maps, hugeÂly sucÂcessÂful, only conÂtain one abstract piece of geogÂraÂphy (the rivÂer) which is inacÂcuÂrate at key locaÂtions (eg HousÂes of ParÂliaÂment).
There are probÂlems with this abstracÂtion and deforÂmaÂtion (eg the numÂber of peoÂple who get the Tube from Covent GarÂden to LeicesÂter Square rather than walk) but overÂall as a netÂwork map (rather than proxy street map) it is excelÂlent.