Help Design the Sound Transit Pictograms


No, the pictures above aren't Houses from Game of Thrones.

Rather, they are the fun, sometimes confusing pictograms that Sound Transit chose to represent the neighborhoods it serves. That dragon? The International District. The anvil? The industrious SoDo area. The one for SeaTac is strangely a magic carpet. As Sound Transit's astrologically inclined “Stellar guide to the the pictograms explains: "Nothing evokes the magic, mystery and delight of flight quite like a magic carpet. SeaTac is the “Hospitality City” and has rolled out the carpet in welcome.”

Sound Transit uses "pictograms" to identify transit stations for people who don't read languages that use the Roman alphabet. They're also easier to recall even if you do read printed station names, according to the agency. Oh, and state law requires them.

Sound Transit plans to start service in 2016 to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington, in Seattle, and Angle Lake Station, in Sea-Tac; and in 2021 to the U District, Roosevelt and Northgate. So now, apparently, is the time to start figuring out pictograms for these stations, and the agency wants your help.

From now until April 14, people can fill out an online questionnaire, listing up to three adjectives to describe each station area, up to three landmarks that represent the areas and, cutting to the chase, describing what image would make a good pictogram for the stations and why.

"Public input and comments will be collected and will be used to help guide the development and creation of the new pictograms," the agency said. "Once developed, pictograms will be available for public viewing and comment."

For some additional background regarding the history behind the existing pictograms in operation today, refer to the Stellar Connections Flyer for complete details.

1 comment:

Fuzz Hill said...

The following is a link to my proposal and concept design:

www.anglelakesc.com/blogdocs/ALStationPictogram.pdf