SubWait Navigational Subway Bench
Renders by Xingxue Wang
The SubWait helps you understand where you're going on the subway and offers seating while you wait for the train that will help you get there.
In this collaborative project with Xingxue Wang (@cynthia_wang1210), we aimed to solve the problem:
How can we make using the New York Subway system less confusing?
Designed for the needs of MTA users
With bright digital graphics, the SubWait communicates the most essential information to travelers and pays homage to the iconic MTA signage systems while working to address the gaps that cause disorientation and lost time.
The 1:5 scale model was built using laser cut acrylic, paperboard, and electronic parts. It was programmed to cycle different light sequences using Arduino.
Subwait’s signage displays five key pieces of information
This bench-sign system updates to reflect the MTA’s many service changes and re-routes. The signage incorporates what research found to be five key pieces of information:
current location, next location of train, train name, train direction, and train type.
Research
The research included emotional mapping using the keywords: “solid,” “trusted,” “clear,” “down to earth,” and “approachable.” We conducted interviews and compiled keywords to better understand different experiences in the NYC subway.
Research also encompassed exploration of current and past MTA standards, field exploration, and human-scale testing, culminating in a full-scale mockup of a “slice of the bench.”
Developing SubWait’s Form
Top left sketches by Xingxue Wang
