metro cdmx

Sistema de Transporte Colectivo is the underground system beneath Mexico City. It‘s iconic design was developed by Lance Wyman, and has become part of the identity of the city. The current identity consists of a stylized M, a custom typeface, and original iconography for each station. However, after more than forty years since its opening the design is now becoming outdated and is in need of a refresh.  

Design

My goal was to update the brand without losing its iconic feel and style. First I shortened the name to Metro CDMX since the underground system is commonly known as “el metro,” and added the city’s abbreviation to incorporate it with the rest of the city’s public agencies. I refreshed the logo by taking the original form and altering its perspective to create an illusion of movement. One of the biggest changes was the typography. I updated it by using Acumin Pro as the primary font with the purpose of making the signage more legible. However, I kept the original Tipo Metro typeface to be used sparingly as a display font in both analog and digital applications. The bounding box for the iconography was showing its age, so I changed it to a rounded square to enhance its flexibility when applying it to different elements. The website was completely revamped and now offer a better experience for users, such as providing navigation tools and live updates for all lines. Finally, I developed an identity manual outlining the new branding and signage system.