Since its establishment 150 years ago as the world's first urban subway, the London Underground has continuously set a benchmark for design that many transit systems around the world - from New York to Tokyo to Moscow and beyond - have followed. London Underground by Design is the first meticulous study of every aspect of that feat.
Beginning in the pioneering Victorian age, Mark Ovenden charts the evolution of architecture, branding, typeface, map design, interior and textile styles, posters, signage and graphic design and how all these came together to shape not just the identity of the Underground, but the character of London itself. This is the story of some of the most celebrated figures in design history - from Frank Pick, the guru who conceptualised the design of the modern Tube with his idea of 'design fit for purpose', to Harry Beck, the creator of the Tube map, and from Marion Dorn, one of the leading textile designers of the 20th Century, to Edward Johnston, creator of the distinctive font that bears his name. Rich with stunning illustrations, London Underground by Design shows that design is about more than aesthetic pleasure, but is crucial to how we get around.
About the Author
Internationally renowned design historian Mark Ovenden is an author, presenter, broadcaster and lecturer whose best-selling books have been translated into five languages. He is an expert on public transport maps, lettering and design: a self-confessed "geek" he has toured the world delivering talks, visiting transit systems, studying corporate identity, typography and way-finding.
He has written many books on transport, signage and typefaces and most recently the enduring legacy of Johnston & Gill Sans.
Mark is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society with a large following on social media and lives in London
CONTENTS
Dedication
Introduction by Kevin McCloud
I. Establishing a New Style of Railway, 1863-89
II. The Design of the First Tubes, 1890-1905
III. Deep-level Tubes and the Birth of a Logo, 1906-15
IV. Unification by Architecture and Design, 1916-29
V. New Works, New Board and New Graphics, 1930-45
VI. Austerity, Nationalization and Celebration, 1946-67
VII. Automation and Regeneration, 1968-99
VIE. Twenty-first-century Light and Space, 2000-13
Notes
Acknowledgements
Sources, Bibliography and Webography
Abbreviations
Index
Picture Credits
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