Mind the Gap
One of the most iconic designs of the 20th century was the redesigned London Underground Map. Designed in 1931 by engineering draftsman Harry Beck, the reimagined map replacing the existing design's sinuous curves with straight lines, horizontals, verticals, and 45-degree angles. It also skewed its scale, placing the stations at equal distances from one another, and removed the above-ground street grid. The result was a sparse, circuit board-like design that eschewed geographic accuracy for legibility. The new design was revolutionary, setting the precedent for nearly all metro maps to come.
Mind the Gap showcases the design and impact of the London Underground Map through an immersive exhibition. Visitors enter through a real-life Tube car and proceed into the exhibit to explore how the map was designed and the lasting impression it has made in history, culture, and design as a whole. Visitors explore the progression of the map's design and how it made the Underground system an ideal bomb shelter, shapes Londoners' perspective of their city, and how the design influenced maps for cities across the globe.
This website is a work in progress.