Michael Hertz’s Lasting Legacy as the NY Subway Map Designer

From Designboom, we were pointed to Gothamist‘s interview with Michael Hertz, designer of the NY subway map. If you’re a fan of history, maps, or even the city of New York, you’ll savor every second of this great sit down with Hertz. Plus, there’s some juicy Massimo Vignelli discussion in there to boot (Vignelli, as you might know, had designed the precursor to Hertz’s subway map):

What is the one thing that you are most proud of about your 30-year-old design?

That it IS a 30 year-old design. This kind of longevity is virtually unheard of in the transit business with the exception of London. Vignelli has been quoted in the NY Times, calling our current map a “mongrel.” I should point out to Mr. Vignelli that “mongrels” or what I prefer to call “hybrids” are usually healthier, smarter and longer lived creatures than his “thoroughbred” turned out to be.

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