Development of a unified map system for the railway network. This project brought together the suburban, regional, and national railway networks into cohesive designs. The focus was on enhancing passenger navigation while maintaining exceptional aesthetic standards.
Design Criteria
Layout and Representation:
We combined geographic and simplified representations to achieve a balance between topographical accuracy and schematic clarity. Stations retained their topographical positions, while scale distortion was used to reduce congestion in dense areas and simplify line trajectories, ensuring a clean and intuitive visual flow.
Consistent Octagonal Layout:
All maps were designed using a consistent octagonal layout, with lines aligned at four key angles: horizontal (0°), vertical (90°), and diagonals (45° and 135°). This approach was applied across geographic and schematic maps, displayed vertically in stations and horizontally inside train vehicles for ease of use.
Text and Label Placement:
For optimal readability, station names were consistently placed on one side of each transit line, with reduced distances between stations and labels to avoid overlap. Labels were oriented horizontally wherever possible, and consistent typography and sizing were used across all map formats—landscape, horizontal, and vertical—to maintain uniformity.
Visual Variables: We selected distinct colors for the three primary regions—Attica, Thessaloniki, and Patras—to differentiate the lines (route coloring). For the national network map, a general categorization using trunk coloring was employed. Differences in colors and naming conventions reflect the unique audiences and needs of each map type.
Line Naming System: For suburban and regional maps, we created a naming system using the first letter of each main city's English name followed by a serial number, ensuring names are easy to use and distinguishable from other modes of transport (e.g., metro).
Symbol Design: Original symbols were created for stations, junctions, and significant stations (e.g., terminals and connections) to add a distinctive element to the maps. Inspired by train track design, these symbols were applied uniformly across all maps.