Arrowbesque:
Transport for London Moquette Textile Design

From graphics to roundels, tube stations to textiles, Transport for London is steeped in a history of innovative design.  As part of the gradual refurbishment of London’s transport system, Transport for London and London Underground are incorporating a new seating moquette for use on the Underground system.

Moquette (orig. French; carpet) is the durable velveteen woven wool fabric used on London Underground seating, using a Jacquard weave, it produces a velvet cut loop that provides good passenger comfort and ride, ensuring good year round thermal properties (unlike most metropolitan transport systems where very basic hard composite seating or steel is standard).

Through out the last century there have been many famous graphic designs from a whole range of artists including Edward McKnight-Kauffer, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Eric Ravilious and even Man Ray.

Arrowbesque incorporates a constant repeating geometric pattern, which utilises two of the main primary corporate identity pantone references for TfL. The colour pallet and pattern responds well in daylight as well as under artificial light and  can be used in a variety of seat combinations including singular seats and long benches.