Harry Beck is one of the early examples of information graphic pioneering, he single handedly changed the way London Underground commuters get around in day to day life and also changed the outlook on how things should be done when it comes to designing underground/subway maps all around the world.
Beck was responsible for the widely known and very popular London Underground tube map design that is still used today. It’s simplistic line work, colour coding and easy to read aspects made the map a favorite among commuters compared to other maps that came before Beck’s innovative design.
The map, made in 1931, was first thought up by Beck during a time when he was laid-off from his then job of a engineering draughtsman at the London Underground Signals Office. Beck had an idea that the people using the underground system were not too bothered about the map being geographically correct or not so in efforts to make the map more user friendly the idea of changing some aspects of the then current design of the map which was very cluttered and difficult to follow, such as straightening out the tube lines and evening out the distance between underground stations. The map was also made larger so that it could be read a lot more easily, railway lines were spaced out more and no street names were shown to make more room for the important tube information.
Beck used simplistic vertical, horizontal and 45 degree angles to show the tube lines, these proved easier to read than the older tube maps.
The original design by Beck was first sketched up within the pages of a school textbook, once Beck had gotten all stations within the design and it all flowed together efficiently, he decided to pitch the idea to London Underground officials. At first the design and ideas to change the Underground map were turned down due to the ideas of change being too ‘radicle’ and ‘revolutionary and people would never understand it’. Beck went away with more determination to get the map design put into production. Beck made some slight changes to the map and in 1933 went back a second time to pitch the idea further. At this point the officials of the London Underground did a trail run of only 500 hand held copies of the map which were handed out to morning commuters.
The map to the Underground officials surprise was starting to become high demand, the people loved the design and found it a lot more easier to follow. Beck was onto something big and had now revolutionized the way tube maps were laid out and portrayed. Within a month of the trail copies of the map being published, Beck’s stylized map was put into common use and become the official map of the London Underground.
Beck’s use of common sense to the idea that if you were going underground you didn’t really need to know the geographic of where you were going was a success, and many other underground railway associations around the world have used Beck’s style of to the point and simplistic design to underground maps. From New York to France they all use a style that was thought up by the ex-engineer.
In 1947, Beck went into teaching at the then London School of Printing and Kindred Trades and continued to make amendments to the Underground maps up until 1960. He was also commissioned the design a variety of public posters to promote the London Underground.