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TTC Station Architecture

The TTC font is a very nice font, no doubt, but I don't think it should be used everywhere in the transit system. The font is very bold, and plus the fact that it is only used for capital letters, using it for all TTC signage could produce a very intimidating effect. I like the current setup. Even though it looks like our new signs are copies of New York MTA signage, and quite un-original, they look very user-friendly.
 
The TTC font has made a bit of a comeback - good to see that it returned for the Sheppard line, and is now used in a few places in the ride guides (the map titles) and for the offficial Toronto Transit Commission banner.

It is probably good (in terms of user-friendliess) that the font is disappearing from wayfinding signs in the stations, though I love the complicated old 1960s metal signs - like those at Keele that read something like "Exit - Indian Grove Road and Car Park/Keele Street and Buses other end of platform" - I'd try to grab one for sure if I knew they were coming down.
 
I completely agree that the font shouldnt be used for all signage. I was just talking about station wall signage. Not wayfinding. Something like the simple helvetica theyve got works very well and is very legible. I just like it being used for all station walls.
 
Well, there's more TTC Font up on the web now: I have added Old Mill to the site.

It's likely the last station I'll add for a while; I have caught up with what I've shot so far, and prior to Christmas I doubt I'll have the time to shoot any more.

Meanwhile a couple of requests to the TTC to identify their architects over the years remain unanswered. Maybe some library research in the new year will turn up more answers.

New pics at the bottom of www.flickr.com/photos/cas...s/1169190/

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"Which is why a lot of the modern architecture done in the 60s and 70s probably looked great at the time but looks like shite now."

Except for a few buildings designed with the state of its concrete decades later in mind. This applies to some of Louis Kahn's buildings, or even most concrete Brutalist buildings, probably, although often as a gimmick to achieve a quick 'ancient/mayan ruins' effect.
 
Hmm. I was contacted recently by a CBC show called Zed Real about allowing them to showcase some of my Flickr stuff too. I think I may be rolling a snowball down a hill...

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I for one appreciate all the updates. You capture the architecture really well, the little differences between the otherwise ordinary B-D stations.
 
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