Vignelli subway map book

Massimo vignelli explains his iconic 1972 new york city subway. Mta new york city transit bergen street sign shop, new york, ny. Massimo vignellis enduring nyc subway legacy curbed ny. The vignelli subway map is an effective user design. Vignellis subway map for little ones new york subway. Nyc subway diagram 2008 by massimo vignelli for mens vogue. The book also discusses the reintroduction of the vignelli map in 2008, comparing and contrasting it against the other modern player in the new york subway map market eddie jabbours kick map jabbour writes a preface for the book, and his admiration for vignellis design philosophy and body of work is obvious. The late, great massimo vignelli redesigned new york citys subway metro signage in the early 1970s. Authority 1970 graphics standards manual, designed by massimo vignelli. He uses numerous examples to convey applications in practice from product design via signaletics and graphic design to corporate design. Lloyd introduction massimo vignelli transit mapping and modernism washington.

The great new york subway map, written and illustrated by emiliano ponzi. On august 7, 1972, the vignelli subway map was published. Unimark was given the job of updating all the subway signs and the brief extended to a map, the company had some experience in this area having worked on prototypes for the much. Vignelli has designed the identity for american airlines, and signage for the nyc subway system and the dc metro system. This diagram represents all lines and stations of the new york city subway system. Vignelli transit maps describes the history of the new york subway maps and follows this citys transportation growth from separate, independent lines to one large system. Inspired by his new york transit authority graphics standards manual and the nyc subway map, this timeline chronicles massimo vignellis life and some of his most notable work. The map is based on a new york city subway map originally designed by vignelli in 1972. Rit press publishes book on vignelli transit maps rit. In this project, i created both the timeline map and the corresponding manual to house the foldable map, feature each grid of the map in detail, and display a gallery.

The great new york subway map book moma design store. A great way to introduce young readers to the idea of graphic design as a way to solve problemssuch as creating a map that can be understood by new yorkers and outoftowners alike. His ethos was, if you can design one thing, you can. January 10, 1931 may 27, 2014 was an italian designer who worked in a number of areas ranging from package design through houseware design and furniture design to public signage and showroom design. Vignelli gave modernist shape to book covers, shopping bags, furniture, corporate logos and, famously, a subway map. But all was not lost, according to vignelli transit maps.

Vignelli would later use that typeface in a 1972 map of the new york city subway, itself celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. It was there that he first studied art and architecture, until he came to america in 1957. The map of the new york city subway system was designed in 1972 by massimo vignelli. Vignelli, designer of famous subway map, defends his.

When designer massimo vignelli s redesigned new york city subway map appeared in 1972, people were less than enthusiastic. Subway map creators are gathering to hash out a century of. Still, youd be hard pressed to find evidence of the vignelli map in todays subway stationsunless, that is, you happen to be at the 57th street station on the f line. Where previous versions relied on a more recognizable approach to the.

Vignellis subway map for little ones you know youve really made the big time when a childrens book commemorates your achievements, as has been done for george washington, madame currie, martin luther king, john f. Peter lloyd uncovers the history of the vignelli map that includes the legacy of the people who created and promoted this new york iconas well as those who hastened its demise. Vignellis map of the new york subway mapping london. Peter lloyd a subway map fan and most of the maps in the book are from his collection looks at one particular map. In 1960, together with his wife lella vignelli, he established the vignelli office of design and architecture in milan.

Massimo vignellis 1972 new york city subway map is well remembered both as a beautiful example of modernist design and as a notorious victim of public shortsightedness. The great new york subway map, written and illustrated by emiliano ponzi and published by the museum of modern art, in association with the new york transit museum, tells the fascinating story of the maps creation in 1972 by the great italian designer massimo vignelli and his team, and introduces young readers to the idea of graphic design. Graphic design legend massimo vignellis nyc subway design. Spearheaded by vignelli, and considered to be one of the most iconic pieces in the history of graphic design, the official 1972 map of the new york subway system was given a mixed reception. Celebrate the historic careers of massimo and lella vignelli.

I tend to think its a bit overpraised and the fact that it was largely deemed unusable by the public has been too conveniently written off by its fans. Lines running local, then express and then local again is a. In 2008, vignelli took up an offer to print the new york subway map as a limitededition art piece for a benefit. The vignelli map wasnt radicalit owed a great deal to the famous london underground map of 1933 by henry beck, an updated version of which is still in use. Designer massimo vignelli, known for his iconic new york city subway map and american airlines logo, among many other designs, died today at the age of 83. In a book illustrated for the moma, emiliano ponzi. Massimo vignelli s 1972 new york city subway map is well remembered both as a beautiful example of modernist design and as a notorious victim of public shortsightedness. The history of the nyc subway maps offers a specialized area for students of design, who must surely know the name massimo vignelli, the modernist designer who named the dc metro and created the notorious 1972 nyc transit map that, writes the mta metro transit authority, reimagined the mta new york city transit subway system as a neat grid. In a book illustrated for the moma, emiliano ponzi tells the genesis. Map enthusiast creates a more geographically correct version of vignellis old subway map posted on tue, july 22, 2014 by dana schulz in design. See more ideas about massimo vignelli, design and subway map. The one part of the design that proved too radical for new yorkers at the time was a map of the system. Massimo vignellis 1972 new york city subway map is well remembered both. Vintage massimo vignelli subway map new york, new york.

On vignellis map, subway lines were enticing ribbons of color that ran straight up, straight down, or at a perfect fortyfive degree diagonal. The manual describes the design and construction for the iconic nyc subway. The map was controversial because it ignored geographic and station location and stuck to a strict 45 and 90degree grid, and was eventually replaced by the mta in 1979. The map shows all the commuter rail, subway, path, and light rail operations in urban northeastern new jersey and midtown and lower manhattan highlighting super bowl boulevard, prudential center, metlife stadium and jersey city. Massimo vignelli explains his iconic 1972 new york city. Take a look inside massimo vignellis famous 1972 subway map. More than iconic, the new york city subway map is a coat of arms for a way of life. The vignelli subway map goes digital the new yorker. Lloyd and mark ovenden is the story of massimo vignellis famous infamous. Yesterday, urban enthusiasts and designphiles mourned the death of massimo vignelli, the graphic designer who created the iconic 1972 subway map. Subway map enthusiast creates a more geographically.

The great new york subway map, written and illustrated by emiliano ponzi and published by the museum of modern art, in association with the new york transit museum, tells the fascinating story of the map s creation in 1972 by the great italian designer massimo vignelli and his team, and introduces young readers to the idea of graphic design. When designer massimo vignellis redesigned new york city subway map appeared in 1972, people were less than enthusiastic. Previous mefi comments on the famed design, which the new york mta eventually shitcanned. A legendary husbandandwife design team fought to get her equal credit for 40 years. In 1979 it was replaced, and this book investigates its history, revealing interesting details about its demise.

The weekender map vignelli on the left and the official map tauranac on the right. Celebrate the historic careers of massimo and lella vignelli a new book celebrates their workfrom the nyc subway map to logos for american airlines and bloomingdales by stefanie walde k. Depictions of trains, subway stations and the nyc skyline tell the story of how graphic designer massimo vignelli created a new subway map in 1972. New york massimo vignelli, a graphic designer whose new york subway map both guided and confounded riders in the 1970s while generations of shoppers carried his bloomingdales brown. Chaos accompanied the release of a 1967 vignelli map showing new subway lines on a colorcoded diagrammatic map, a new scheme that was. The famous italian designer massimo vignelli allows us a glimpse of his understanding of good design in this book, its rules and criteria.

To this day, it is still highly regarded by design buffs for its ingenuity and simplicity of a complex system. You know youve really made the big time when a childrens book commemorates your achievements. Anyone with a penchant for map design was at the transit museum in brooklyn last night where the italian designer massimo vignelli and critic michael beirut discussed vignellis famous and controversial new york city subway diagram, designed in 1972 and used on the transport system until 1979 the vignelli map, still widely regarded as a design classic, was quite bold in its disregard for the. The subway map that rattled new yorkers the new york times. The great new york subway map book ny transit museum store. A rare interview with graphic design legend massimo vignelli. Massimo vignelli nyc transit map uncovered in a midtown. He is coeditor of paris metro style in map and station design 2008 and the author of several books on the philosophy of george berkeley. A few years ago, we were presented with a map of the new york city subway system that reimagined it in concentric circles. He is a packaging designer, a furniture designer, a graphic designer and so much more. Massimo vignellis 1972 nyc subway map is back yours for the low, low price of 299 bucks for one copy of the limited edition of 500. A rare interview with graphic design legend massimo vignelli from 2006, the late designer shares the story behind his infamous new york subway map and why typographic elegance will prevail. He was the cofounder of vignelli associates, with his wife, lella.