Comments on: For Men’s Vogue, Vignelli issues an update

By: MaryO

MaryO — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:22:26 +0000

I spent a semester in 7th grade learning to navigate the city with this map and the bus maps. From high school through to this day, people ask me for travel advice because I learned so well. The map was fine–for natives, I guess. And it was a beauty of 70s art.

By: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog » Blog Archive » A subway system easier to navigate

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:52:05 +0000

[...] Modernist designers of the era. While Vignelli would come to fame and imfany in New York due to his artistic but confusing subway map, the system still relies on signage and graphics he designed over four decades [...]

By: Alon Levy

Alon Levy — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:21:32 +0000

Bleh. When I first rode the subway, I found the standard map perfectly helpful. My first ride went smoothly even though I had to transfer twice and the first conductor didn’t announce stops. If anything, I’d say the map’s too inaccurate: I once searched for the subway on Lex in the 20s and 30s, not understanding why it wasn’t there.

I’ve never ridden the Underground, but I regularly used the Singapore MRT, whose map is presented in the same style as the Underground’s. My experience with orienting myself was uniformly negative. I knew where my station was, but had no hope of finding from the map where I might end up if I stopped one station too near or too far.

By: skunkwade

skunkwade — Sun, 04 May 2008 12:39:40 +0000

to be clear, I ordered one earlier, haven’t gotten it yet.

By: skunkwade

skunkwade — Sun, 04 May 2008 12:38:59 +0000

I got myself one. It is a great-looking map, and a limited-edition to boot. I’ll frame it and put it on my wall. There’s got to be some subway buff who will pay me double what I paid. I mean, it’s got two articles written on it already, that’s gotta be worth something.

By: JAR

JAR — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:03:12 +0000

It’s good that some people will pay $500 for it, because I can’t see how the Vignelli diagram can be appreciated for much beyond art value. Even if you can point to a station, you cannot immediately tell which train stops there… just that “something” does. It seems like it can only really be used or appreciated by people who know the system and NY geography VERY well.
The KickMap, on the other hand, seems to beautifully aid those least familiar with both the system and the streets above - in a way that doesn’t compromise geography for the sake of making an artistic statement.

By: Kid Twist

Kid Twist — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:57:55 +0000

I still use the original Vignelli map. Now, where is that QJ train already? I sure have been waiting a loooong time.

By: Eddie Jabbour

Eddie Jabbour — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:31:05 +0000

To the writer’s comment above, the KickMap only superficially “evokes” the Vignelli in its use of separate lines (which, by the way was not original as it was already in use on the previous NY subway map design in 1967). In fact, the KickMap was the first to use same-color trunk lines of the existing system - in that way it seems that the “new” Vignelli map actually evokes the KickMap to many viewers.
The KickMap is quite different: its a Hybrid-style map design that takes the best elements from both disciplines of map making - diagram and topographic - to make a map that exceeds either in clarity and ease of use in translating the most complex subway system in the world to both novices and NY natives who are travelling outside of their usual sphere.
The KickMap has its station positions that are “location-accurate” - all the stations are in correct position in relation to each other and to the topography above. It also presents the grid of streets and parks above to help in orientation. The Vignelli Map has neither feature.