London’s timeless and iconic lettering – the Johnston typeface – was created a century ago for London Underground and since its introduction it has come to represent not just transport but the idea of London. London Transport Museum is marking the 100th anniversary of its introduction to London’s landscape with a number of events including a series of talks, a special Museum Depot Open Weekend, and behind the scenes Johnston Journey tours.
Edward Johnston, a calligrapher, medievalist and craftsman, went on to become the unlikely creator of a new distinctive letterform. Johnston also redesigned the famous transport roundel sign which is recognised as one of the most enduring corporate brand identities in the world. He was invited to create a new lettering system for London Underground that was modern but also reflected tradition. He came up with a design that included classical Roman proportions and the distinctive diamond ‘tittle’ above the lowercase ‘i’ and ‘j’.
The typeface was known initially as ‘Underground’ but later took the eponymous name of ‘Johnston’. A lettering guide was produced for sign-painters, and wood and metal font types were produced for posters, signs and other publicity materials used across London’s transport network.
In the 1970s it was adapted by Eiichi Kono to make it suitable for the typesetting systems of the time. The adapted typeface is still in use today and can be seen by the millions of passengers that travel across the Capital every day.
Sam Mullins, Director for London Transport Museum, said: “Although the name Edward Johnston may only be familiar to a few people, his influence on London has been profound: Johnston is London’s alphabet, part of the city’s character, its essential brand. To celebrate 100 years of this enduring Johnston letterform, London Transport Museum and Transport for London will be holding a series of talks, tours, exhibitions and events which are part of the Transported by Design season. The programme explores the history and future of great design and how it can affect our journey experience.”
Events program: http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/transported-by-design
