#noorda

WAYFINDING + VISUAL COMMUNICATION: TRANSIT

The first photo is an archival photo from Pentagram books of the recently reprinted New York City Standards manual as originally designed by Bob Noorda and Massimo Vignelli completed in 1970. Noorda, before working with Vignelli on the New York City Subway, pioneered the way finding system for the Metropolitan Milano or Milan Subway. 

Mark Byrnes writes for Bloomberg in his article The Undervalued Simplicity of Bob Noorda's Vision for Milan's Metro “In New York, Noorda and Vignelli created a unified and clear visual language for what had previously been three separately owned and competing subway systems with an impossible mishmash of signage throughout.” 

Below is an original page from the standards manual employed by Vignelli and Noorda involving the visual communication and design concepts they utilized in wayfinding systems to solve the “mishmash of signage” problem which befuddled and confused riders.

In the MoMA’s permanent design collection is an example of the iconic Massimo Vignelli, Bob Noorda designed New York City Subway Street-Level Signage Designed 1966-1970 (this version 1979) which we New Yorkers know all too well...

The two diagrams below shows the relationship between platform signage and passengers at San Bablia station and Sesto S. Giovanni station within the Metropolitana di Milano / Milan Metro and the importance of these spacial relationships in effectively communicating  wayfinding visually. Byrnes writes: 

“Noorda came up with the idea of a color-coordinated band that stretches along the walls inside each station. For Line 1 riders, a red band identifies the station name every 16 feet while a second band provides exit and transfer directions as well as safety signs. The color bands blend in with architectural elements like railings and entrances. Noorda also created a custom “grotesque” font which had an intermediate weight, enlarged counters, and shortened descenders and ascenders in order to be more legible. For their efforts, Noorda, Albini and project engineer Franca Helg were honored with the 1964 Golden Compass Award, Italy’s highest industrial design honor. Line 1 opened that same year.”

Additional wayfinding as designed by Noorda for a Line 1 station of the Metropolitana di Milano 

Lastly, we revisit the Washington D.C. metropolitan area in a continuation of design legends Lance Wyman and Bill Cannan who's original D.C. metro map was designed in 1974 by Wyman & Cannan Co. with wayfinding systems put in place also by Massimo Vignelli displaying bold Helvetica text indicating the train’s direction, illuminated in white with a background corresponding to the line’s color. Vignelli also utilized the bold white Helvetica lettering and wayfinding systems on dark brown with colored circles and color bands indicating the train lines present at that station and the names of the stations on that corresponding line.

Image Source: Lance Wyman

“The System Map is designed using a geometric / diagrammatic style to incorporate Washington’s geographic landscape with all major rivers, parks and landmarks including the Beltway and county borders of Maryland and Virginia. All rail lines are color-coded to tie in with all other way-finding graphics in the system. A Time / Fare panel lists all Metro stations and displays estimated travel times and required fares for each currently operating station in the system. The map was designed on a grid to accommodate the future expansion of the Metro system by adding additional lines.” images and text excerpt from http://www.billcannandesign.com/metro.html

Opening day handout: