{"id":3867,"date":"2020-12-17T15:05:02","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T15:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tilebar.com\/learn\/?p=3867"},"modified":"2024-01-25T09:01:58","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T09:01:58","slug":"what-is-subway-tile-a-brief-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpstage.tilebar.com\/learn\/what-is-subway-tile-a-brief-history\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Subway Tile? A Brief History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The subway tile<\/a> is an essential element of interior design that holds a storied 100-year history, having first emerged in the early twentieth century as an easy-to-clean, sleek surfacing solution for the subterranean spaces beneath New York City streets. The ubiquitous three-by-six-inch rectangular tile has evolved from applications across Manhattan subway stations to installations within contemporary commercial and domestic interiors across the country. \u201cThis iconic tile was its own baseline for its design evolution,\u201d says Erica Puccio of TileBar. \u201cThroughout the decades it has been translated into an array of style options, but really becoming a staple item when developing the essence of a space.\u201d The information below provides a brief history of the timeless and tactile appeal of the subway tile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overview and Origins<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

New York\u2019s first official foray into underground transit took place in 1904 with the inaugural subway line stretching from the old City Hall station in lower Manhattan to 145th Street in Harlem. Architects Christopher Grand La Farge and George C. Heins were tasked to devise a surfacing solution for the subterranean subway stations that would be suitable from both an aesthetic and hygienic standpoint. The designer duo aligned their vision with a 19th-century, Victorian-era enthusiasm for the cleanliness. With slightly curved edges and a slick glossy sheen, the subway tile served as an ideal solution since it was stain-resistant and could be easily cleaned. Their hygienic benefits were boosted by the familiar, friendly feel that they emanated for city dwellers cautiously filling the first fleets of underground trains. Assimilating these advantages, the architects suffused the stations with unifying swaths of white glass tile. The glazed finishes of the polished, bright white subway tiles<\/a> served to subtly reflect light in the shadowy underground spaces while their monolithic fields of color could be enhanced by inviting, intricate mosaics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n