Environmental Sign System: London Underground
As a foreign, I thought it would be an interesting idea to choose the London transports sign system to discuss, because this is made for people like me, that want to discover the city and find out what the city has to offer.
While I was researching, I found this article about Pedestrian Wayfinding Signage:
News Articles
"Transport for London Awards 'Legible London' Pedestrian Wayfinding Signage Contract to Trueform
04/09/2009
TFL's 'Legible London' wayfinding project aims to provide better information throughout the Capital for people who want to walk. A study conducted two years ago drew attention to the ineffectiveness of the present multitude of pedestrian sign systems in Central London, and the consequent over-reliance on the tube map to help navigate above ground.
Trueform will commence the manufacture and installation of these innovative street furniture products early 2009.
Legible London will use a range of information, including street furniture products early 2009.
Legible London will use a range of information, including street signs and maps to provide a comprehensive wayfinding system that helps both residents and visitors alike.
Features of the new wayfinding signage system includes modulisation, robustness, lighting and solar power options, methods of displaying the mapping information and compatibility with potential new communications technology. Each sign has a unique commentary of the surrounding area with useful travel information and a description of the geography of nearby areas."
I completely agree with this article, I find really difficult to understand exactly where am I and how to get to other places. I always end up asking someone, so I hope they change for an easier and clearer wayfinding solution.
But not all the Transport of London's system are like this one.
One of the most cited examples of a well-designed signage system is the London Underground. It is really easy to understand and provides a very comprehensive wayfinding system. Even my mom was saying that the signs in the tube are made for any person to understand - "even the dumbest person in the world" - she said.
Starting with the London Underground Sign, which is really easy to identify! It consists of a red roundel and a horizontal blue bar containing the station name. They are very easy to recognize and very unlikely to be confused or missed. The typeface used on the underground signs, New Johnston, was designed in 1913 specifically for the Underground to provide readability at a distance. It's simple and clear, and so is the hole sign itself, that's why it works!
Not only the London Underground Sign is good. The London Underground map is also very clear and easy to understand. As a foreign, the first time I used the tube alone, I had no problem at all. Everything was very clear and the map really easy to follow and guide me through.
The tube map is a diagram representing the lines and stations of some of London's rapid transit rail systems, the London Underground (commonly known as the tube), the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and London Overground.As a schematic diagram it shows not the geographic but the relative positions of stations along the lines, stations' connective relations with each other and their fare zone locations, for that, the map has a background shading to signify the areas for each of the tariff zones. The basic design concepts help people to understand, in an easy way, where to go and how to get there.
Inside the tube stations it's also very easy to orient yourself and navigate from place to place without getting lost. Everything is clear and signed.
If you want to go out of the station you follow the signs: way out!
The sign Way Out have different typefaces and different designs. But they all serve the same purpose, guide you to the exit. They are placed all the way to the exit, there's no way you can missed them!
If, instead, you just want to change to another line, let's say, from the bakerloo line to the central line, there are signs, with the color of the line you want to go, that indicates the way. There is an example in Oxford Circus:
If you want to go to a certain station and you're not sure which platform you have to go (either northbound or southbound) before you go the the platform there are signs with the list of stations in each platform (southbound or northbound) and the station where you are is marked with a blue box, as the following pictures will demonstrate:
Because safety is really important, there are also typographic and sound signs to make people aware of the gap between the train and the platform that say: Mind the Gap
And it does work. It works so well that the sound and type "mind the gap" became a symbol of London!
Let's say, if you're in one station and you don't remember where should you change to the place you want to get, and you need a map, there are, in all the platforms, a general tube map with all the links to other tube lines, trains, DLR, overground and trams. Moreover, you have a map of the outside zone of the station you are in, with the bus connections you will find outside the tube station and some touristic places, such as museums, galleries, touristic attractions, some useful numbers, such as police number, emergency numbers and more.
Also, inside the tube you can find the general tube map, as well as the line you are traveling with the name of all stations in that line. It's a really good way to keep you knowing where you are, how many stops until the one you want and which links exist in every single stop.
Also, inside the tube you can find the general tube map, as well as the line you are traveling with the name of all stations in that line. It's a really good way to keep you knowing where you are, how many stops until the one you want and which links exist in every single stop.
Because sometimes the tube gets really busy, specially close to Christmas time, sales and pick hours, there are signs to indicate people how to move inside the tube, like: Keep Right or Keep Left.
I must say that this signs really help. In Portugal we don't have this signs and its chaotic in the pick hours and on the most busy areas!
So, as a conclusion, I really understand why one of the most cited examples of a well-designed signage system is the London Underground. It is easy to identify, to navigate from place to place and to orient yourself inside the tube.
There is an on-line history of the roundel here:
there is an on-line story of the London Tube Map here:
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