'Subway systems at the same scale' by Neil Freeman isn't a subway poster in the conventional sense of the term. Instead, it's a poster that showcases to-scale, minimalist maps of the world's 140 major subway systems.
The poster is organized in descending order of magnitude, leading it to closely resemble a Snellen chart. Instead of sight-testing letters, the subway poster contains the maps of the "high capacity, grade-separated heavy rail" metro systems of the world. Each route of each system on the poster is represented by one line. This means that the unadorned maps create squiggly, veined configurations that look like rivers on an atlas or cartoon spiders.
This subway poster is an absolutely perfect gift for the urban planning enthusiast, who will be able to entertain guests by making them guess which city each map represents.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Minimalist Subway Maps
- Opportunity to create simple and visually pleasing maps for cities around the world, disrupting traditional map-making methods
- To-scale Transit Maps
- Opportunity to create detailed and accurate transit maps for busy commuters, improving their daily transit experiences
- Entertainment Maps
- Opportunity to create fun and interactive maps for a range of purposes, from exploring cities to educational purposes
Industries Being Reshaped
- Mapping and Cartography
- New opportunities for cartographers to create visually appealing and easy to read subway maps, changing the way we view transit maps
- Transit and Transportation
- Opportunities for transit companies to create more user-friendly maps, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty
- Design and Advertising
- Opportunities for designers to create customized maps for a range of clients, from city tourism boards to educational institutions
