I have been commuting to Midtown since April, and I still can't figure out my new subway station. Each time I think I'm taking the staircase to the exit closest to my office building, I end up across the street, or down the block, or too far north. It drives me nuts. Some subway stations are easy to navigate, but others are abstruse labyrinths that take you at least an avenue away from your intended destination if you're not careful. Thankfully, one architect has offered a helping hand—she's sketched out some of the city's more complicated subway stations and superimposed them over their locations, so lost locals and tourists can see where their 7 train exit at Times Square really stands.
NYC-based architect Candy Chan told City Lab she was inspired to launch her Project Subway NYC series by subway stations in her native Hong Kong, where exits come with more detailed signage. "At the beginning, my focus was on the station themselves, because I find it very disorienting to be in one of the bigger ones," she told the website. "Once I had about 20-something stations done, I started to look at how they relate to the city."
Chan made sketches for elaborate stations like those at Times Square; Columbus Circle, and Union Square, all of which stretch out for a surprising number of city blocks when you see them laid out using X-Ray vision. Here's 42nd Street, surrounded by landmark buildings:
Courtesy Candy Chan
Here's 59th Street-Columbus Circle, which runs under the Trump International Hotel:
Courtesy Candy Chan
And here's Union Square:
Courtesy Candy Chan
Previously, we covered Chan's 3D subway stations, where she mapped out some of the stations so riders can see exactly where they'll land when they exit. Here, for instance, is the 7th Av station I can never figure out, and yes, it's embarrassingly far less complicated than I thought:
Courtesy Candy Chan
And here's Fulton Center:
Courtesy Candy Chan
You can play around with the maps on Chan's website, where she also offers posters and prints for sale.
