Observations on Hong Kong MTR Design

Not long ago, during a visit to Hong Kong, I was immediately captivated by the distinctive mosaic-tiled walls and signage fonts upon entering the MTR station. Taking this opportunity, I’d like to share the thoughtful design details of Hong Kong’s MTR system.

1. Logo: An Abstract Representation of Urban Geography

The logo of Hong Kong’s MTR is rich in symbolism. The upper arc represents the Kowloon Peninsula, the lower arc signifies Hong Kong Island, and the central straight line symbolizes the underground railway connecting the two. Encased within a red oval, the design evokes the aesthetic of a traditional Chinese seal.

2. Typography: A Visual Language Blending East and West

The Chinese signage in Hong Kong’s MTR (now MTR Corporation) employs Song typeface (known as "Mingti" in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and "Minchōtai" in Japan). The choice of Song typeface for public wayfinding was groundbreaking at the time.

• Etymology Note: This style flourished during the Ming Dynasty and was later introduced to Japan, where it became known as "Minchōtai." During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, due to the reverence for Song Dynasty culture, it was often referred to as "Songti." Interestingly, the original Song Dynasty engraved script was more slender and elongated, while later imitations of its style came to be called "Fang Songti" (Imitation Song).
• Design Philosophy: The Song typeface features delicate strokes and a strong cultural resonance. Early designer Ko Chi-kin remarked, "The subway is a representation of a city’s spirit, and Mingti, with its deep roots in regular script (Kaishu), embodies the essence of Chinese culture when used in station signage." Thus, the custom "MTR Song" was developed, thickening the horizontal strokes of the traditional Song typeface to enhance long-distance legibility.
• East Meets West: The accompanying English text uses a sans-serif font. Initially, Helvetica was employed, but designs after the autumn of 1996 switched to Myriad Pro Semibold. This pairing of Song-style Chinese with sans-serif English perfectly reflects Hong Kong’s identity as an international city that harmonizes Eastern and Western cultures.

3. Mosaic Tiles: Functional Art with Color Coding

One of the iconic features of Hong Kong’s MTR platforms is the vibrant mosaic-tiled walls.

The design was rooted in humanistic considerations: when the MTR first opened in 1979, literacy rates were not universal, so distinct wall colors were used to differentiate stations, aiding passenger recognition.

The platform color schemes follow several principles:

• Reflecting Station Names: "Wong Tai Sin" Station uses yellow, while "Lam Tin" Station features sky blue.
• Creating Atmosphere: "Wu Kai Sha" Station employs earthy tones, and "Diamond Hill" Station combines gray-brown with scattered white dots.
• Mirroring Surroundings: Coastal stations like "Shau Kei Wan" and "Kennedy Town" predominantly use blue, whereas "Choi Hung" Station directly adopts rainbow colors.
• Highlighting Hubs: Major interchange or terminal stations (e.g., "Tsuen Wan," "Mong Kok," "Central," "Hung Hom") feature striking red.
• Ensuring Distinction: Adjacent stations use sharply contrasting colors to avoid confusion.

4. Auxiliary Color System: Unified Visual Guidance

Beyond the primary station wall colors, the yellow background with black text combination is critical in the MTR’s visual guidance system, widely used on signage and route maps. This efficient color-coding system extends to the bus network, though electronic displays adopt more modern sans-serif fonts (likely Source Han Sans or similar) to maintain clarity and consistency in information delivery.