ABSTRACT
A glance at the London tube map will show a network of lines and the many stations that make up the present Underground system, developed since 1863 both to improve access in the metropolis and to encourage the generation of additional revenue through feeding the central area with traffic from the growing suburbs. Architects of Underground stations are faced with the particular problem that when planning subsurface facilities the spaces are generally dictated by engineering constraints, and their role has really been confined to specialized interior design. Of course, for surface structures there is a much wider scope for creativity, and the development of this reflects the changing styles in architectural practice and the railway companies’ aspirations to a public image. As the Underground was effectively invisible to the public, and could only advertise its presence through the stations as shop-fronts of the organization their appearance was a critical factor in the attraction of custom.
