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Arts

Taking the Subway Home... Literally

Posted by Jerrold Litwinenko / October 6, 2008

27 Comments

20081006-transitdecal02.jpgOne 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.

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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.

Discussion

27 Comments

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Kelly / October 6, 2008 at 11:34 am
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"Please note - decals for all 69 Toronto subway stations are available, but have not yet been added to the store. Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing a design you do not see on this page."

It's hidden at the bottom of the page but they are all available.
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Derek / October 6, 2008 at 11:57 am
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Kelly: Yep, you're totally right. We can cook up a decal for any station, we just decided to feature the most interesting ones.
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Danielle / October 6, 2008 at 12:01 pm
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I totally want.
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Corina / October 6, 2008 at 12:17 pm
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cool idea.. although i don't know why i like it exactly. like jerrold, i too have a pilfered route map for no good reason.
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person / October 6, 2008 at 12:47 pm
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I think its great, and more power to ya -- but I have to sadly shake my head when I think of the additional revenues that could have been added to the Transit coffers to IMPROVE the system, if the Transit folks got their shit together and were the driving force behind stuff like this...and the spacing buttons.

For once, the free market economy actually does something better than the government.
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Matt / October 6, 2008 at 01:38 pm
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I just ordered the Union one, I can't wait, these rock!
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daniel / October 6, 2008 at 01:50 pm
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I like this idea, I want to order.

Nice advertorial sale pitch Jerrold. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
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daniel / October 6, 2008 at 01:50 pm
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I like this idea, I want to order.

Nice advertorial sale pitch Jerrold. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
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Michael / October 6, 2008 at 02:39 pm
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Nice -- Just ordered the St. Clair West decal!
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jerome / October 6, 2008 at 02:45 pm
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selling someone elses designs is art?
This should be under city not art, anyone wanna buy a BlogTo T shirt or button please email me
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shelia / October 6, 2008 at 02:47 pm
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Woudl be nice if they did a little research and gave a little info into who actually designed the signage they are selling. Give some credit where the credit is due
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W. K. Lis / October 6, 2008 at 02:59 pm
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What about the old style streetcar and bus roll signs?

Like "Exhibition East Entrance King"?
Or "Jane/St. George Station 2 Annette"?
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Gloria / October 6, 2008 at 03:15 pm
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Jerome makes a good point. Is this analogous to the artist who sold photographs of other artists' mural commissions?
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Jerrold / October 6, 2008 at 03:17 pm
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Spacing has been selling <a href="http://spacing.ca/buttons.htm";>TTC station buttons</a> for years. I don't see any crediting the typography artist there either (likely because the original TTC subway typography designer <a href="http://joeclark.org/appearances/atypi/2007/TTC/inscribed/Ongpin-TTC.pdf";>remains unknown</a>).

Instead I see glowing media and mayoral endorsement (as it should be, IMO).
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kate / October 6, 2008 at 04:08 pm
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the london tube has been making money selling t shirts and mugs etc., http://www.i-merchandiser.co.uk/ltm/
perhaps the ttc could take a page from their book and start selling merch to help subsidize repairs and such.
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Gloria / October 6, 2008 at 04:16 pm
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@Jerrold: Maybe they can amend their pages with a little sentence to acknowledge the typography is an anonymous design. The type is so iconic that it seems worth crediting, even if vaguely.

I guess it feels like a fair point because the decals and buttons are basically straight-up replicas of the tile designs. Many of Torontoist's (awesome) t-shirt designs from a while back were closer to being TTC-"inspired."

Hey, when are they going to make those anyway?
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daniel / October 6, 2008 at 04:19 pm
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Yes but but they are proud of the TUBE in London. I rarely hear anyone compliment the TTC and how great it is, more often you just hear complaints and whining about how shitty it is.

Majority of the Tube clothing, etc you see isn't officially put out by the Transit company, its just tourist rip offs.
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sarah / October 6, 2008 at 04:22 pm
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It would be interesting to know who did the typography/design for them. a little background behind it, the year each one was created.
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Gloria / October 6, 2008 at 04:23 pm
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@myself: Although I guess at the rate the TTC seems to be phasing out the typeface, it doesn't really matter, does it?
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jen / October 6, 2008 at 04:44 pm
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@kate: The TTC does have merch, it's just ugly as sin. They try to shut down the Spacing buttons, which people actually think are cool and would wear...you should check out the TTC merch shop at Union Station to compare. Tacky and cheap-looking.

I have an NYC subway t-shirt and a London Tube map umbrella (any Neil Gaiman fans out there)...lovely souvenirs and well-designed. But then those cities' transit systems are rather iconic, while ours is not.
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W. K. Lis / October 6, 2008 at 05:14 pm
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The TTC's merchandise are similar to merchandise that individual companies have available to their employees. Usually just logos on office supplies.

They should get real designers (from HGTV, ODAC, IADT, etc.) to produce some better designs and then build from there.
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stan / October 6, 2008 at 06:02 pm
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blogTo cookbook available, email me
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stan / October 6, 2008 at 06:07 pm
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Jokes Pure Jokes no cook book available
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pigcat / October 6, 2008 at 10:23 pm
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@daniel, word, everyday, i cant wait to get outa the ttc, why would i wana bring it home
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Christopher King / October 6, 2008 at 10:33 pm
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Neat! As a friend of mine often says when delighted.
I want the Museum one for my place :)
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Kevin / October 8, 2008 at 01:00 am
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Please note that these are made of vinyl which release VOCs that cause cancer. Not very friendly.

I wouldn't want that in my home.
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Greg / September 17, 2010 at 02:57 am
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Computers are made partially from Coltan. Thousands of Africans are affected negatively by it.

Throwing your computer out? Didn't think so.
Diamonds muss up any place where they are mined. Not going to buy/ want to receive one? Didn't think so.

Snake plants suck up VOCs. Suck it.
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