Underground usability
In a recent visit to Paris I was again fascinated by the briliant way its public transport works. But how do you manage to keep such a big networks of stations (+/-300) recognizable?
The underground has some subtile details helping all travellers find their way.
It’s great to see how much small details (like color and shape) help people navigate through the underground (both conscious & subliminal). Some things that grap my attention:
Station specific colors
Besides the fact that every station marks which metro line your currently on, every station also has its signature color. Five main colour schemes were used for this: yellow, red, green, blue and orange. A stations color will always be different from the stations next to it, to facilitate subliminal recognition.
This colors can be seen in seats, light housings, advertising frames and walls of connecting corridors.
Station specific chairs
The RATP also uses a variety of different seats to distinquish the stations.
