London subway map: branding that reflects the local community

London has changed its subway map through collaboration with creative studio DNCO. We've branded each line to make it easier to distinguish from the complex subway map and celebrate London's history and culture.

The six underground subway lines, which were uniformly marked in orange, were changed to names and colors at each station that reflect the history and culture of the region. The name contains a story about the community that is difficult to understand unless you are a citizen living in Run Run. By celebrating the meaningful history each region represents, visitors to London can naturally learn about the city.

© TFL

Lioness lineis the nickname of the England women's football team, honors the Euro winners and serves as an inspiration to women and girls in sport.

© TFL

Windrush linerepresents the Caribbean community. It represents the Windrush generation who immigrated to London to rebuild England after World War II. The Windrush generation helped overcome racial discrimination and create a vibrant, multicultural city.

© TFL

Weaver linerepresents the textile trade. The clothing industry was revitalized in this area with the influx of Jews during World War II. Due to low housing prices, Bangladeshi immigrants seeking employment in the garment industry also increased, and Brick Lane became a fashion hub.

© TFL

Liberty lineliterally celebrates freedom. It embodies the historical independence of Havering Borough, which has traditionally had more self-government and autonomy than other regions.

© TFL

Mildmay linecommemorates Mildmay, a charity hospital. Mildmay was founded in 1892 to help cholera patients and closed in 1982 due to lack of funds. Six years later, it reopened for HIV and AIDS patients in need. It is a place revered by London's LGBTQ+ community.

© TFL

Suffragette linecommemorates the achievement of women's rights. Derived from the Suffragists' Women's Vote Campaign. By expanding women's rights, they were able to expand their voice and gain the right to vote. They campaigned for working-class women, holding rallies, marching, publishing newspapers, and even creating people's armies when necessary.

© TFL

Since it first opened in 1863, the London Underground line has changed continuously. Unharmonized route maps distributed by each company based on different standards confused passengers. Also, the passenger was not interested in knowing where I was on the underground train. In 1931, Harry Beck, a subway employee, created a 'diagram route map' that viewed the relationship between stations in terms of topology rather than actual locations. Instead of showing the subway on the ground truth map, we simply expressed the station on the geometric structure. This route map has become the standard of choice in many countries.

© TFL
© TFL

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