london underground + more maps

The map for the London Underground was designed by Henry C. Beck in 1933  and it replaced geographic fidelity with a diagrammatic interpretation. Geographic lines drawn horizontally, vertically, and at forty-five degree angles and bright color coding made the map very functional.

Beck's London Underground

But it's also really interesting to see where these map lines have ended up since 1933, like in Paula Scher's painted maps:

Paula Scher