Metro Highway: A Unique Bookshelf Inspired by Urban Transit

A Creative Fusion of Metro Grids and Roads

The primary source of inspiration for Metro Highway was the colourful and intricate illustrations of metro grids found in city transit maps. Yongwook Seong, the designer, saw the potential to transform these 2D grids into a three-dimensional form. The result is a bookshelf that not only provides storage space for books and other items but also serves as a captivating visual representation of a city's transit system.

What sets Metro Highway apart from other bookshelves is its organic amalgamation of metro grids and roads. The designer selected the Shanghai metro map as the basis for this design, carefully reshaping and adjusting it to create functional voids for shelving. The intrinsic geometry of the metro lines forms unique voids as they merge and interact with each other, providing a visually dynamic and aesthetically pleasing storage solution.

The design of Metro Highway goes beyond its visual appeal. The bookshelf's open-ended shelving solution challenges conventional shelving behavior, encouraging users to creatively utilize its unique geometric spaces. It inspires a playful approach to organizing and displaying books, allowing for a personalized and engaging experience.

Metro Highway is constructed using wood and finished with lacquered electrostatic paints, ensuring durability and a sleek appearance. With dimensions of W 2400mm x D 300mm x H 1800mm, it is a statement piece that can seamlessly integrate into various interior design styles.

This design project began in May 2015 and was completed in June 2015 in Banff, Canada. It represents a morphological investigation of metro grids in 3D space, showcasing the potential of metro maps as functional and visually captivating furniture.

Metro Highway has received recognition for its innovative design. It was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category in 2016. This prestigious award is given to well-designed, practical, and innovative creations that meet professional and industrial requirements. Metro Highway's integration of industry best practices and competent technical characteristics contribute to a better world.

Yongwook Seong's Metro Highway is a testament to the endless possibilities of design. By reimagining the familiar metro grid and transforming it into a functional and visually captivating bookshelf, this design showcases the intersection of art, architecture, and innovation.