Harry Beck

Henry C. Beck ( born June 4, 1902 in London, † September 18, 1974 in Southampton, better known as Harry Beck) was a British technical illustrator and graphic designer. His most famous work is the network map of the London Underground, which enabled a very clear presentation of the abandonment of topographical accuracy. Each line was represented by a separate line, the only horizontally, vertically or diagonally at a 45 ° angle runs. This model served as a model for networks of many more cities.

Biography

In 1933, Beck worked as a draftsman in the signal department of the London Underground. At that time, route network plans were common, on which the lines were represented topographically correct, often on the basis of a map. This meant that the stations were very close together in the center, but those are very far apart in the suburbs. Beck was convinced that with a plan of the Underground not necessarily reflect the topographical accuracy is required. The passenger wants to know how he passes from one station to another and where he can change from one line to another. Only the topology, ie, the spatial relationship of the stations with each other was, in his opinion, critical.

So he began, in his spare time to design a network map, which resembled an electric circuit diagram and on which the stations were mapped in the same distance from each other. Beck himself never said that this had been the inspiration for his idea. But his colleagues called his attention to the similarity and even drew a cartoon on which the stations were replaced by symbols of electrical circuits and terms were used in the electrical system (for example, bakelite for the Bakerloo Line). Beck refined his design; The plan consisted only of the labeled stations as well as straight lines that run either horizontal, vertical or diagonal in a 45 ° degree angle.

London Underground initially reacted sceptically to the plan and regarded this merely as a recreational work of ordinary employees. However, the plan was tentatively printed in a small edition and distributed to the passengers. He proved himself immediately a great success. Beck took first as a freelancer updates to its plan before, but over time the marketing department commissioned by London Underground other graphic so. 1947 Beck came to the realization that he had slipped from the control of his work and announced. Then he taught typography and color design at the London School of Printing and Kindred Trades (present-day London College of Communication ).

After Beck a long time the recognition had been denied, the Department of Transportation London Regional Transport Museum directed transport at the beginning of the 1990s in the London gallery with his works a. In the station Finchley Central, who once lived in the vicinity of Beck, a memorial plaque to him, together with a facsimile of the original plan of 1933. On today by Transport for London issued network plans Beck is again acknowledged as the inventor of the original design. In the television program The Culture Show on BBC Two Becks network map was elected in March 2006 behind the Concorde the second most popular British Design of the 20th century.