Design Classics – London Underground Map

London Underground Tube Map

The Tube map is a schematic transit map representing the lines and station of London’s rapid transit railway systems, namely the London Underground (commonly known as the Tube, hence the name), the Docklands Light Railway and London Overground. As a schematic diagram it shows not necessarily the geographic but rather the relative positions of stations along the lines, stations’ connective relations with each other and fare zones. The basic design concepts have been widely adopted for other network maps around the world, especially that of mapping topologically rather than geographically.

Ben Drury Artwork

Ben Drury is a British freelance designer. He was art director of Mo Wax recordings and has worked extensively in the music industry, creating album artwork for Turin Brakes and Dizzee Rascal amongst others. He maintains long-term creative collaborations with James Lavelle of Mo’ Wax and Singapore based clothing label Surrender & Will Bankhead, also formerly of Mo’ Wax, and currently the cult T-shirt company, Answer. He worked closely with artist Futura 2000 designing a compilation of his work, entitled “Futura”, published in 2000 by Booth-Clibborn Editions. In 2006 he collaborated with Nike to produce the “Air U Breathe” Air Max 1 Premium training shoe and Windrunner jacket. In December 2009 he rebooted the partnership to create the Nike Air Max 90 Current “Silent Listener”. Ben Drury has a rare combination of street-cred and professionalism which has made him one of the most respected designers in the UK today.