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 typography upon entering the MTR station. Seizing this opportunity, I’d like to share the thoughtful design details behind Hong Kong’s MTR system.

I. Logo: An Abstract Representation of Urban Geography

The MTR logo 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 traditional Chinese seal script.

II. Typography: A Visual Language of East-Meets-West

The Chinese signage in Hong Kong’s MTR (now MTR Corporation) employs Song typeface (known as "Ming typeface" in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and "Minchō-tai" 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 introduced to Japan as "Minchō-tai." However, due to the cultural reverence for the Song Dynasty during the Ming and Qing periods, it was often referred to as "Song typeface" in China. Interestingly, the original Song Dynasty engraved script was more slender and elongated, while later imitations of its style came to be known as "Fang Song" (imitation Song).
• Design Philosophy: The Song typeface features delicate strokes and rich cultural connotations. Early designer Ko Chi-kin remarked, "The MTR embodies the spirit of the city, and the Ming typeface, with its strong roots in regular script (Kai Shu), best conveys the essence of Chinese culture in station signage." Thus, the custom "MTR Song" was developed, thickening the horizontal strokes of traditional Song typeface to enhance long-distance legibility.
• Cultural Fusion: The accompanying English typography uses sans-serif fonts. 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 blending Eastern and Western cultures.

III. Mosaic Tiles: Functional Art with Color Coding

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

The design originated from a humanistic consideration: 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, while "Choi Hung" (Rainbow) Station adopts a rainbow palette.
• Highlighting Hubs: Major interchange or terminal stations (e.g., "Tsuen Wan," "Mong Kok," "Central," "Hung Hom") feature bold red.
• Ensuring Contrast: Adjacent stations use sharply contrasting colors to avoid confusion.

IV. Auxiliary Color System: Unified Visual Guidance

Beyond the primary station wall colors, the MTR’s visual guidance system relies heavily on yellow backgrounds paired with black text, widely used in 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.