The TTC is looking at redesigning subway stations along the University line – starting with Museum, St. Patrick and Osgoode. The goal is to make the stations look more like the cultural landmarks around them, using buildings like the ROM, AGO and Opera Company as inspiration. It's hoped that this will also promote tourists taking the subway, and make Torontonians ride it because of "just how good it feels".
So here's what feels good.
Maybe, I'm crazy, but none of that feels good to me. In fact, it looks INCREDIBLY tacky. It's almost pathetic. It's not hard to make a subway look good. This has gotten a lot of coverage in the blogosphere already (Transit Toronto, The Spacing Wire, an article in The Star, and Paved. While some people think that the TTC should stick to the original tile patterns, I find those bland. So here's some pictures of subways stations around the world that are only about three million times nicer than what's been proposed:
Bilbao
Brussels
Kiev
Moscow
Munich
Ok, the last one was totally just put in because of the rainbow pattern, but it would make a sweet redesign for Wellesley.
I think the TTC should stick to their tile plan, but it wouldn't hurt to upgrade a few of the gross looking stations ... EW DUNDAS! ... Barf walls. That's what I call it.
Some of those new designs are alright - Actually now that I look at them again - I don't like them very much. The first one and third one are too freaking BUSY. .. Too much coverage. Not enough WHITE SPACE! ... The second one is pretty, but a the pillars are kind of too fat O_o
I loveee the subway stations around the world (based on your pictures) ... Wow.
WOW! Moscow. Holy. That's sooo pretty. It wouldn't work for us. But the Bilbao and Brussels is simple and looks good. I don't like the Kiev one. Kind of looks like a sketchy alley way or something.
Not to mention the person in the Kiev subway picture is about to get raped.
Oooohhhh I miss the TTC T___T
I think they should go for a straight-forward sleek, futuristic, glassy look for the subway stations. Paint the stations one or two pretty colours, add a few sheets of glass in, voila! Instant love.
Of course, that's less novelty than what they're hoping for. I think whoever designed the Sheppard line should do it. The Sheppard line stations are pretty good, especially the whole Leslie + Sheppard thing. Genius in simplicity.
Minimalism is good, space-savy is also very good. Something similar to Bilbao is nice, but with escalators. But then again, the subway stations we've got now are total crap... so pretty much anything could be better.
I like the one for Osgoode..sorry guys. Maybe its because of the gorgeous photography of ballet and opera and I am a theatre student and like that kind of stuff. And there is a certain novelty to the museum one. Imagine being a kid and walking through that station, I think they would be like "cool! Can I see a real one of those?" and ergo you are now paying for your family to visit the ROM.
Anyway, I use the Yonge line daily and am a little worried what they will put in place for Dundas...will it be the wanna-be times square? or perhaps be Queen's twin with a mural of the Eaton Centre! Maybe something related to the Olympics? Who knows, but I think we need to not be afraid of change...in regards to the "subtle-ties of tile" essay, You lost that in the 80s, and the world is constantly trying to rid itself of 60s-70s design...all the design books I looked at in my interior design class mocked it. Anyway its like the modern scheme to the ROM renovation, you either love it or you hate it. (Love it because the concept of the modern meeting the old is so-called "sexy" or hate it because it detracts from the old part of the building thus taking away from its integrety"
All I have to say is I hope they either have better lighting or fix the broken tiles, and I wont be personally offended to see the yellow tiles gone