'220 Mini Metros' Turns the World's Metro Rail Systems into Illustrations
Joey Haar — May 5, 2017 — Art & Design
Peter Dvorak, an American graphic designer, has created a series of illustrations based on urban transit infrastructure called '220 Mini Metros.' The project depicts the metro and light rail systems of 220 cities around the world in stylistically similar tones, giving each of the metros a minimalist line plot placed inside a white circle.
There are two striking aspects of 220 Mini Metros. One is in comparing the most complex systems with the simplest. For instance, Paris' world-renowned system is directly beside Rennes, a small French town that has a single metro line. The other is the startling complexity of metro systems in the world's biggest cities. When laid out on the same map, Seoul's subway fills is an impenetrably dense set of colored lines, appearing more complex than even the famous Tokyo system.
There are two striking aspects of 220 Mini Metros. One is in comparing the most complex systems with the simplest. For instance, Paris' world-renowned system is directly beside Rennes, a small French town that has a single metro line. The other is the startling complexity of metro systems in the world's biggest cities. When laid out on the same map, Seoul's subway fills is an impenetrably dense set of colored lines, appearing more complex than even the famous Tokyo system.
Trend Themes
1. Minimalist Metro Maps - The minimalist style of the 220 Mini Metros project presents an opportunity for graphic designers to apply similar styles to other types of maps.
2. Comparing Urban Transit Systems - The direct comparison of the world's metro and light rail systems presents an opportunity for transportation experts to identify similarities and differences among networks to develop best practices for future systems.
3. Visualization of Urban Transit Systems - The use of illustrations and minimalist line plots can be applied to other types of data visualization, providing an opportunity for data analysts to explore new ways of presenting complex information.
Industry Implications
1. Graphic Design - Graphic designers can apply the minimalist style of the 220 Mini Metros project to other types of maps, such as road maps and hiking trails, to create a cohesive series of illustrations.
2. Transportation - Transportation experts can study the direct comparison of the world's metro and light rail systems to identify similarities and differences among networks and develop best practices for future systems.
3. Data Visualization - The visualization techniques employed in the 220 Mini Metros project can be applied to other types of data, such as financial data and healthcare data, to provide a new perspective and deeper insights.
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