Zero Per Zero — Seoul, Korea

“City Railway System”, an ongoing project, presents a whole new approach to bringing out the identity of a city in a practical guide to its underground transport system. The soul, the culture and the unique character of the metropolis take precedence over the mundane matter of simply helping travellers get from A to B.

Making a great subway map can be an art in itself (witness Harry Beck’s iconic London Underground masterpiece, still going strong, with some modifications, after more than eight decades). All too often, in the attempt to achieve geographical reliability and visual impact, local charm gets somehow lost along the way. Which is why Seoul-based studio Zero Per Zero has infused the character of the city into its of sets of metro maps for the South Korean capital.