TTC: Redesigning TTC Signage

[Dan416]

CC:

I could - but the badge area won't be wide enough to handle "TTC" at a scale that wouldn't leave way too much blank space at the top/bottom

AoD

Boo I'd still want to see for comparison's sake.

 

[adma]

What do you guys think of the Paul Author design that is used at St. George? I personally think that the TTC should just adopt it. All the studies and designs are complete and all the TTC needs to do is install it.

Arthur, not Author. (Just reminding you, because the correct spelling's been cited again and again and you keep disregarding it)

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Arthur, not Author. (Just reminding you, because the correct spelling's been cited again and again and you keep disregarding it)

Oops... my bad. Thanks for telling me.

 

[GTS]

Not so worried about the TTC subway signs then their bus route signs. I lived most of my adult life in Vancouver, and a short stint in Edmonton (and a few smaller cities) but I always appreciated Vancouver's informative bus stop signs. Here is a link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beyonddc/6839812259/

That link is just one example of the info available at any stop in my old home town of Vancouver. If their was just one bus that used that stop the sign would still show that and inform the commuter. Makes for much better commuting, especially when I was new here to Toronto and trying to navigate my way around my new city. Hopefully TO invests in this user friendly design from Vancouver and elsewhere.

 

[ShonTron]

I can never decide what I think about using a unique pictogram for each station. I don't know of any other transit system that's found it necessary to do this, and I'm skeptical whether it would really help anyone, especially now that the stops are always audibly announced. But at the same time, maybe the pictograms would eventually become an iconic part of their respective neighbourhoods.

Mexico City uses unique pictograms for each and every station (even the Metrobus BRT), that's the only example I can think of where it has been done.

 

[Johnny Au]

Mexico City uses unique pictograms for each and every station (even the Metrobus BRT), that's the only example I can think of where it has been done.

In the earlier threads, we discussed that Toronto at one point considered the use of pictograms. They were designed by Paul Arthur (only the pictogram in St. George station survived).

 

[CDL.TO]

In the earlier threads, we discussed that Toronto at one point considered the use of pictograms. They were designed by Paul Arthur (only the pictogram in St. George station survived).

It wasn't that St George was the only station where it survived. It was the only station where it was installed at all.

 

[MafaldaBoy]

London's public transportation system has an excellent way of organizing signage:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/tfl-interchange-signs-standard-issue05.pdf

Their design standards are also a lot better than Toronto's:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/12523.aspx

Just imagine the TTC like this...

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

The TTC can't even make their corporate reports and presentations look that good, much less signage.

AoD

 

[Dan416]

It'd be nice if they made the effort to.

 

[MafaldaBoy]

I posted these designs in the fantasy map thread a while back, only to be told that they would belong here; thoughts?




As for signs, I was toying around with layouts and came up with a design like this:




How's the visual style? I used the font DIN Pro, which is what York Region uses.

 

[Catenary]

Very clean and legible, and reminds me quite a bit of the London Underground. I may well be mistaken, but if that's not the Ontario Northland font it's extremely close. The colours remind me of the ONR quite a bit too.

My biggest issue is the font though, it isn't particularly distinctive. Most major transit systems have a font that is recognizable as theirs (London has New Johnston) and this doesn't seem like to strike me as unique.

 

[MafaldaBoy]

The TTC does have its own font, Toronto Subway.
IMO, it is definitely unique, but I prefer to retain it only for station identification (platforms, station exterior), because it looks awkward and rather illegible on directional signage.

An example of station identification at platform level:



And here is the font on directional signage:

 

[TheTigerMaster]

The TTC does have its own font, Toronto Subway.
IMO, it is definitely unique, but I prefer to retain it only for station identification (platforms, station exterior), because it looks awkward and rather illegible on directional signage.

An example of station identification at platform level:


And here is the font on directional signage:

I agree with you. TTC font on signs is an illegible mess. Should stick to keeping it on platform walls.

My one issues with this is the white background. A dark background with white text will be far more legible IMO, especially in sunlight. Also, the colour for our most used line, Yonge-University-Spadina, is yellow. When yellow is on a white background it is fairly difficult to see.

 

[MafaldaBoy]

My one issues with this is the white background. A dark background with white text will be far more legible IMO, especially in sunlight. Also, the colour for our most used line, Yonge-University-Spadina, is yellow. When yellow is on a white background it is fairly difficult to see.

A minor quibble, but I've always thought the Yonge/University line was gold coloured, not yellow.
You do raise a good point about the background, here is white text on a black background: