Massimo Vignelli and his 1972 NY Subway map

Massimo Vignelli explains his infamous 1972 New York Subway map and the controversy it caused. Then he realizes what he should have done instead...

Taken from the DVD extras of the film "Helvetica" by Gary Hustwit.
http://www.helveticafilm.com

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[Elfret Relf]

This is history

[Simon Bodger]

Vignelli's map was so much easier to read and understand. The current map is cluttered and confusing with lines going all over the place. It's a design failure. People traveling underground don't need geography. It's irrelevant. Simplicity is the key.

[marty177]

The Sydney rail map has got basic direction. The western suburbs are on the left side of the map, the northern suburbs are at the top and so forth. The layout is the general layout of the city. I think that is enough for people.

Does the Vignelli NYC map have at least that amount of geography?

[Adam Moreira]

That map has returned...the MTA, as of today is using it now to explain planned service disruptions.

[saginawdavis]

Exactly. Berlin's map is one of the most frightening things I've seen for two reasons:

1. No geography whatsoever.

2. You can only tell the name of a line by tracing it out to its terminal point. There's no legend for color codes,.

[Lucas Dimitri]

We'll be happy to get the page you are talking about ;)

[Gondring]

The New York Times website has a page allowing you to compare the 2010 map to the four previous maps (1968, 1972,1979, 1998). It's called "An Overhaul of an Underground Icon" (May 27, 2010), and their search box finds it.

The 2010 map is so much better than the 1972 map. The 1972 map was not only misleading (by misrepresenting distances, in both absolute and relative terms), but utterly useless for things like trying to determine which station is nearest a destination!

[Andrew Hoeveler]

The new map is no comparison to the old 1972 map. Why did they have to change it? There is nothing difficult to read and comprehend on Vignelli's map, while nearly everything about the new map is difficult to understand, with its spaghetti-tendrils sprawled all over the city. A subway map is not a street map, and the two do not need to be combined. Tokyo, London, and most other major cities all "get it", why not New York City?