Creating The Commuter Experience
The highly anticipated Grand Central Madison has officially opened in Manhattan NYC. Running underground for five blocks, the station-within-a-station marks the largest rail terminal built in the U.S. since the mid-1950s. The project, which has been in the works for decades, is expected to boost train capacity on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service by 40%.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority hired New York-based design firm Applied Design to work on Placemaking and Brand Strategy for Grand Central Madison. Their solutions for the now fully opened concourse include:
1. A dynamic/animated map of Long Island, depicting the route into the city and showcasing attractions and points of interest across Long Island and the region. The maps come to life through animation and real-time transit data to show train movement.
2. Applied Design was tasked with finding a way to connect the historic halls with the new concourse and create harmony and continuity between the two. To accomplish this, the design firm created overhead gateway signage to welcome and direct visitors, as well as ordinal murals at the entrances to each ten-story escalator.
3. With regard to branding and naming, ‘Madison Concourse’ is the brainchild of Applied Design, named after Madison Avenue, the street to which the concourse runs parallel.
4. Glass and marble exhibits run the entirety of the concourse featuring Immersive quotes from former and current New Yorkers that creates a rich visual tapestry and reminds people of the greatness of New York City.
“Applied Design sought to create a commuter experience that imbued the spirit of New York City, showcasing its diversity of thought, voice and scale that befit one of the greatest cities in the world, and one of the greatest structures in it,” said Brad Scott, Founder and Managing Director, Applied Design.
Led by Scott and Craig Dobie, Applied has become known for their meaningful work across various industries, including transportation, retail, consumer products, and healthcare. Notably, in 2019, the firm created the Atkinson Hyperlegible typeface for the Braille Institute, specifically designed to help with legibility and improve readability for those with low vision.
