OUGD504: Design Production - Design for Web Underground Research

The theme of my website is the tube, I want to make my site very info-graphic lead and visual because of the sheer amount of information I have to say. I was told about an info-graphic which had been produced to mark the 150 year anniversary of the tube by one of the designers at Enjoy Digital in Leeds. 

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I really like this info-graphic and the style which is used to illustrate information. One of my reservations about this brief is the fact that the tube is such a recognisable piece of graphic design that it will not be made my own as it is very hard to stray from the original idea. This info-graphic uses the tube design and is also very different with the images it uses. 

I think this info-graphic is really interesting and the continuous line is very fitting with the design of the tube map. This concept is something I would really like to use for my website because I think it is a good way to illustrate the history of the tube in a visually pleasing way. 

I personally love the idea of having the information flowing in this way because it makes something which is quite dry in content interesting. It is fascinating to me that something so simple as image can transform a piece of information and make it interesting and engaging. 

OUGD504: Design Production - Design for Web

A glimpse at the new tube trains, exhibition in London

Armpits in your face and overcrowded carriages could be consigned to history with the next generation of state-of-the-art Tube trains.

Built by German engineering firm Siemens, the Inspiro concept trains are fully air conditioned and a lot more spacious than the current models on the London Underground.

The Inspiro is also 30 per cent more energy efficient and 20 per cent lighter than similar modern Tube trains.

A prototype will be showcased to mark the 150th anniversary of the London Underground at the Crystal exhibition centre in the Royal Victoria Docks next week.

Siemens has hinted the futuristic trains could be built in Britain if London mayor Boris Johnson was to put in an order.

‘London, in common with many large cities around the world, faces significant transport challenges as a result of ongoing population growth and increased capacity demands,’ explained Siemens managing director Steve Scrimshaw.

‘Our exhibition highlights some of the innovations that can be considered by cities to help their metro systems tackle these issues and help passengers benefit from an improved travel experience.’

Sam Mullins, London Transport Museum director, added: ‘Over this last year the London Transport Museum, with Siemens and CBSO, has been exploring the fascinating history of underground train travel, which began 150 years ago in London.

‘Underground railways are now a feature of many of the world’s major cities, a number of which are now looking to the next generation of underground travel and how the type of technology showcased at Going Underground can play a part in the creation of the metros of the future.’

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