Roberts M – SHOWCASE – MAP HIGHLIGHTS 2017

Description

This showcase presents a selection of the author’s experimental and reconstructed transit maps (versions as of June 2017), many featured as “Map of the Month” and available as posters. Highlights include London Crazy Tube Map (2004), which abandons conventional angles for many trajectories; London Curvy Tube Map (2007) and Paris All‑Curves (2007), which smooth corners—Paris testing showed up to 50% faster journey planning; and the intentionally awful London Cranky parody (2007). Historical reconstructions include George Dow’s 1935 LMS suburban map (2009) and a 1980 East German Berlin S‑Bahn map (2014). Geometric experiments feature Hexalinear “Good” and “Evil” twins (2010), concentric‑circles maps for London, New York and Tokyo (2013), and stylistic projects such as Chicago El inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright (2015), Rotterdam De Stijl (2016), and an Art Nouveau Paris Metro (2017). Some maps provoke strong reactions—polarizing aesthetics, technical usability gains, decorative art, or deliberate provocation—demonstrating both cartographic craft and playful critique.