This Poster Displays All 468 Subway Station Signs
For all intents and purposes, we do not want any visual of the subway hanging in our apartments. The grimy stations don’t really complement our decor, and we’d prefer not to be reminded of the daily bloodbath that is trying to squeeze onto the 6 train. But this poster is the exception to our no-MTA-in-the-house rule.
Printed using 11 Pantone® spot colors, this snappy piece of wall art displays all 468 subway station signs throughout the city, arranged in alphabetical order. It was designed by Hamish Smyth, one member of the duo who reprinted Massimo Vignelli‘s iconic Standards Manual last year. Once again inspired by Vignelli’s graphic visual approach, Smyth created the new poster because he feels “this is an iconic design that should be remembered and celebrated, and we think a beautifully printed poster is a great way to get it into many people’s hands.”
Though the station signs have been changed slightly since Vignelli’s day, they’re still pretty close to his original intent, which the designer feels is “a testament to the simplicity and elegance of the design.” The posters are being printed in Italy by the same company responsible for last year’s Standards Manual. There’s two available sizes–a 24-inch x 33.25-inch version for $35 and a limited-edition 28-inch x 38.2-inch print that will be hand-numbered and sell for $65.
The poster is being funded through a $29,800 Kickstarter campaign, but it’s already far exceeded this goal, raising close to $63,000 with 33 days still left to go.
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