Toronto subway's station tiles:

The original Toronto subway tile colour scheme was generated by combining a number of background colours with four trim colours...The colours were chosen to discourage rowdy behaviour and loitering rather than for aesthetic reasons. Consequently, they have the institutional quality of hospital or penitentiary walls. For many years, Torontonians grumbled that their subway stations looked like public washrooms. But now, decades later, the remaining designs have become Modernist classics.

Apr. 30, '08
design