Metrolinx
Elevating Canada’s largest transit network with dynamic wayfinding
The Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA) is undergoing the largest transit expansion in North America, which presents the challenge of integrating the different transit agencies across the region for a seamless user journey.
This project focuses on developing a unified digital wayfinding system, using dynamic information and real time updates to make navigation easy and convenient for users across the region.
Year: 2024
Location: Ontario, Canada
Home to over 7 million people, the GTHA is undergoing the largest transit expansion in North America. However, transit agencies have developed separately, resulting in a disconnected experience for riders travelling across municipal borders.
Canada’s first subway in Toronto featured a variety of glossy vitrolite wall tiles that defined its original look and feel. It came in Primrose (soft yellow), English Eggshell (blue-green), and Pearl Grey (off-white).
Due to its fragility and scarcity, the original vitrolite tile was replaced in the 1980s at all stations except Eglinton. However, this legacy has still had a large influence on the design of stations today.
Union Station c. 1976-1978. Courtesy: Library and Archives Canada, 3243670. Photo by Ben Mark Holzberg.
King station in 1982. Photo by Lewis Swanson.
Dundas station in 1982. Photo by Lewis Swanson.
Tiles remain a prominent feature of Toronto subway stations with various forms of shapes, colors, and sizes used in various patterns, mosaics, and artworks.
To incorporate the history and the design language of station tiles, digital wayfinding displays are broken up into separate modules that can be animated to communicated complex information.
Two of the original colours (Primrose and English Eggshell) used in station walls in 1954 were brought back to be used in wayfinding modules.
Alert Yellow is used to indicate service disruptions. Departure green is used for platform numbers and departure times.
Currently, transit is primarily identified through operator logos. However, this can cause confusion when transferring across municipal borders. Thus, a distinct icon for each transit mode was created to establish consistent messaging across regional transit agencies.