Hasta La Ideas

Transport for London has installed silhouette-shaped posters behind platform benches on the Stirling Prize-winning Elizabeth Line to hide dirt and grime left behind by passengers.

The posters, featuring colourful “moquette-inspired” patterns, were designed to cover up so-called “ghost marks” – stains caused by passengers leaning on the stations’ white walls.

Transport for London (TfL) trialled a series of solutions to this issue throughout 2024 and determined the posters to be the most effective and sustainable option for the Elizabeth Line, which sees more than 700,000 passenger journeys every weekday.

The posters will first be installed at Bond Street, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Tottenham Court Road stations, in the hope of cleaning up the walls behind seating areas. They also create a clearer designation of priority seating for passengers who are less able to stand, according to TfL.

“The Elizabeth Line has had a transformational effect since opening, providing new, accessible journey options for customers, including at new central London stations,” director of the Elizabeth Line Howard Smith said.

“These stylish new moquette-inspired designs will enhance the customer experience by protecting the areas behind the seats.”

The installation of the posters comes almost 3 years after the completion of the Elizabeth Line, which last year was awarded the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize for its design by architecture studios Grimshaw, Maynard, Equation and AtkinsRéalis.

Spanning 73 miles (118 kilometres), the £18 billion development was praised by RIBA president and jury chair Muyiwa Oki for its “flawless, efficient, beautifully choreographed solution to inner-city transport”.

“It’s an uncluttered canvas that incorporates a slick suite of architectural components to create a consistent, line-wide identity – through which thousands of daily passengers navigate with ease,” he said.

Grimshaw has been approached for comment but has not responded.

The photography is courtesy of TfL.

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