Taking the Subway Home... Literally

One drunken night in the early '90s, when I was a rebellious teenager riding the subway, I decided to steal and take home one of the TTC subway route maps that hung unmounted and backlit above the subway doors. It wasn't clear what motivated me, but I'm guessing that my actions were a result of my desire to feel the rush of theft... and in some twisted way, declare my closet transit geek status. I wanted a piece of the subway experience to live on in perpetuity in my bedroom at home.

Fast forward to 2008. Now you don't have to steal to take a piece of the subway home.

Walloper is a collective of self-proclaimed "art geeks, design wonks and new-urbanist cheerleaders" and one of their current projects aims to bring a slice of the iconic TTC aesthetic to the home. TTC signage-inspired decals are available for purchase on the site, and a few sample photos demonstrate how they might be incorporated into your home decor.

While only a few station decals are currently available for purchase viewing on the site, I suspect that more could be designed all 69 stations are available for purchase.

I can't help but wonder how long will it be before the TTC sends these artists a cease and desist order? Let's hope that doesn't happen at all.

Addendum: To learn more about the intricacies and history of the TTC's use of funky fonts in subway stations, check out Joe Clark's snazzy visual timeline (PDF) on the topic.

Photos: walloper.com.