New York Subway Station Map - Massimo Vignelli (1978)
Subway System Map (New York 1978)
Designed by Massimo Vignelli for New York Transit Authority. Dated February 1978. Measures 150 x 117cm (59” x 46”). Offset Lithograph on paper. Outstanding near-mint example.
At 5 feet high, this stunning modernist masterpiece was the work of Massimo Vignelli (and his agency, Unimark) and we believe this is the only example for sale in the world. Just a handful of these huge Vignelli station posters still exist: a 1972 example is held in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). They were issued between 1972-1978. This was the final issue dated 1978.
Having already delivered a major branding project for the Subway in the late 1960s (the “Graphic Standards Manual”) Vignelli provided a mock-up of his vision for a new Subway map to the recently-appointed Chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) William Ronan. Ronan felt the current map (issued in 1967) was too fragmented and supported Vignelli’s modernist solution. Vignelli and his team were awarded the job.
Taking inspiration from Harry Beck (London Underground) among others, Vignelli fought passionately against unnecessary information on the map and pursued a clean diagram based on a geometric grid principle. The map was put together in the Unimark Office by Joan Charysyn under Vignelli's design direction. The map was unveiled by William Ronan on August 4, 1972.
The Vignelli Subway map is one of the most enduring icons of New York City. However, unlike Harry Beck’s London Underground diagram, Vignelli's design was not universally popular. His deliberate abandonment (or distortion) of New York’s geography led to impassioned debate and in 1979, Vignelli’s detractors had their way when the diagram was replaced with a geographic map - which is still in use today.
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation
.
Subway System Map (New York 1978)
Designed by Massimo Vignelli for New York Transit Authority. Dated February 1978. Measures 150 x 117cm (59” x 46”). Offset Lithograph on paper. Outstanding near-mint example.
At 5 feet high, this stunning modernist masterpiece was the work of Massimo Vignelli (and his agency, Unimark) and we believe this is the only example for sale in the world. Just a handful of these huge Vignelli station posters still exist: a 1972 example is held in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). They were issued between 1972-1978. This was the final issue dated 1978.
Having already delivered a major branding project for the Subway in the late 1960s (the “Graphic Standards Manual”) Vignelli provided a mock-up of his vision for a new Subway map to the recently-appointed Chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) William Ronan. Ronan felt the current map (issued in 1967) was too fragmented and supported Vignelli’s modernist solution. Vignelli and his team were awarded the job.
Taking inspiration from Harry Beck (London Underground) among others, Vignelli fought passionately against unnecessary information on the map and pursued a clean diagram based on a geometric grid principle. The map was put together in the Unimark Office by Joan Charysyn under Vignelli's design direction. The map was unveiled by William Ronan on August 4, 1972.
The Vignelli Subway map is one of the most enduring icons of New York City. However, unlike Harry Beck’s London Underground diagram, Vignelli's design was not universally popular. His deliberate abandonment (or distortion) of New York’s geography led to impassioned debate and in 1979, Vignelli’s detractors had their way when the diagram was replaced with a geographic map - which is still in use today.
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation
.
Subway System Map (New York 1978)
Designed by Massimo Vignelli for New York Transit Authority. Dated February 1978. Measures 150 x 117cm (59” x 46”). Offset Lithograph on paper. Outstanding near-mint example.
At 5 feet high, this stunning modernist masterpiece was the work of Massimo Vignelli (and his agency, Unimark) and we believe this is the only example for sale in the world. Just a handful of these huge Vignelli station posters still exist: a 1972 example is held in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). They were issued between 1972-1978. This was the final issue dated 1978.
Having already delivered a major branding project for the Subway in the late 1960s (the “Graphic Standards Manual”) Vignelli provided a mock-up of his vision for a new Subway map to the recently-appointed Chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) William Ronan. Ronan felt the current map (issued in 1967) was too fragmented and supported Vignelli’s modernist solution. Vignelli and his team were awarded the job.
Taking inspiration from Harry Beck (London Underground) among others, Vignelli fought passionately against unnecessary information on the map and pursued a clean diagram based on a geometric grid principle. The map was put together in the Unimark Office by Joan Charysyn under Vignelli's design direction. The map was unveiled by William Ronan on August 4, 1972.
The Vignelli Subway map is one of the most enduring icons of New York City. However, unlike Harry Beck’s London Underground diagram, Vignelli's design was not universally popular. His deliberate abandonment (or distortion) of New York’s geography led to impassioned debate and in 1979, Vignelli’s detractors had their way when the diagram was replaced with a geographic map - which is still in use today.
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation
.
