As London's Tube - the world's oldest subway - celebrates its 150th anniversary, the current style of map for it has a birthday as well; its 80th:
The map London has in its head - http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-britain-tube-20130228,0,7557442.story
"Instantly recognizable the world over, the simple yet elegant diagram of the 249-mile subway network is hailed as one of the great images of the 20th century, a marvel of graphic design. Its rainbow palette, clean angles and pleasing if slightly old-fashioned font (Johnston, for typography buffs) have endured since hurried passengers first stuffed pocket versions of the map into their raincoats in 1933."
"Tell a Londoner the name of a neighborhood on the other side of town, and you may get a blank stare; mention the closest Underground line and station, and the mental GPS kicks in.
"All credit goes to a problem-solving electrical draftsman named Harry Beck, who came up with the design in his spare time in 1931."
The map London has in its head - http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-britain-tube-20130228,0,7557442.story
"Instantly recognizable the world over, the simple yet elegant diagram of the 249-mile subway network is hailed as one of the great images of the 20th century, a marvel of graphic design. Its rainbow palette, clean angles and pleasing if slightly old-fashioned font (Johnston, for typography buffs) have endured since hurried passengers first stuffed pocket versions of the map into their raincoats in 1933."
"Tell a Londoner the name of a neighborhood on the other side of town, and you may get a blank stare; mention the closest Underground line and station, and the mental GPS kicks in.
"All credit goes to a problem-solving electrical draftsman named Harry Beck, who came up with the design in his spare time in 1931."
