With the 2028 LA Olympics on the horizon,
we saw an opportunity to reimagine public transit
That goes beyond transportation,
becoming
an extension of
an
Olympic experience
Meet Olympin
A wearable pin that brings the Olympic spirit to your LA Metro journey
Key features
01
Set your language in seconds,
just by saying “Hello”
Skip the long list. Simply say “Hello” in your native language.
We’ll automatically detect and switch to your preferred setting.
It’s faster, more natural, and removes the pressure of menus of typing.
03
Stamp your journey
at Iconic Metro Stops
Ride the Metro and collect digital stamps at featured Metro stations,
from Olympic venues to city landmarks, to trace your footprints.
Mark the moment. Map your LA. Remember your Olympics.
04
Discover venue-based activities
& Receive real-time updates
Whether you're in a Metro station or at an Olympic stadium, you will
get notified when something exciting is happening nearby. You can
also explore games, challenges, or cultural experiences through map.
Why Olympin?
Background
With the upcoming 2028 Olympics, Los Angeles is undergoing a major urban transformation
Large-scale expansion of the LA Metro system
Newly expanded lines seamlessly connect Olympic venues, city landmarks, and local hotspots, offering faster, more reliable transit to key destinations.
Shift towards a digital-first strategy in LA Metro
LA Metro is embracing digital transformation with innovations that make riding, paying, and exploring the city faster, safer, and more convenient.
Public installations damage
01 Insight
Many physical facilities have failed due to intentional destruction, vandalism, and misuse by people experiencing homelessness or criminal activity.
Learning
Focus on portable functions designed for individual ownership to reduce public maintenance costs
Research & Painpoints
LA Metro system cost exceeds $100 million
on the annual maintenance.
The rate of damage increases by approximately 11% annually.
Metro rider doesn’t match the main Olympic audience group
02 Insight
>65% of Olympic audience were Gen Z (18-26) and Millennials (27-42).
>60% of current Metro riders skew older and lower-income locals.
Tourists make up <10% of current Metro ridership.
Learning
Increase interest through engaging design strategies that encourages visitors and day-riders to take Metro
Gen Z (18-26)
Boomers (59+)
Gen X (43-58)
Millennials
(27-42)
Paris 2024 Olympic Audience Age Distribution
36%
28%
12%
24%
Metro’s voice fails to reflect LA’s vibrant city image
03 Insight
Learning
Add more playful, vivid, and locally inspired design elements with Metro that better reflect the spirit of LA
For visitors, LA is often associated with sunshine, creativity, openness, but currently Metro feels rigid, disconnected from the city’s dynamic energy.
HMW
help visitors unfamiliar with LA Metro build trust by creating seamless, interactive, and socially engaging transit experiences and explore during the Olympics?
Solution & Iteration
01 Solution
Enhance exploration & event discovery
Seamless
Interactive
02 Solution
Foster social engagement & personalization
Interactive
Socially engaging
03 Solution
Improve physical & public system design
Seamless
Build trust
When Olympic game ends...
People owning Olympin
Visitors
Becomes keepsake / decorative keychain
Locals
Continues to serve as playful pass
Fight On!
Go Bruins!
USC
UCLA
USC vs UCLA football event
01
Opportunity on Metro ride for game preheat in showing supported team. Bring belonging of community.
Continually fit in to the event cycle, such as displaying their support teams and scoring system
With 120K+ annual attendees and 60–70% student turnout, teenage and college fans offer a huge growth opportunity for Olympin.
NBA Finals:
Lakers vs. Timberwolves
02
Lakers
Timberwolves
It's Los Angeles, we got Lakers! Thanks to them, LA becomes a NBA presence city, that has NBA finals here each year.
In 2024, 19,500+ fans attended each game, with thousands joining live cheers and fan events. This is a perfect stage for Olympin to amplify real-time engagement.
During the Game
Round of Game:
In total 7 rounds
Quarter Scores:
Display scores of two teams in each Quarter
Quarter of Game:
Less opaque in visual display
Winning Team:
Display total scores with underline
Game Score:
Less opaque in visual display
What did we learn?
01 Takeaway
Combine micro-animation
with situation awareness
Animations are not just decorative: they shape perception.
In a high-traffic transit environment, animations must communicate quickly, align with both Metro and Olympic identities, and respond to the user’s situational needs.
Which means animations should be functional, culturally sensitive, and emotionally appropriate.
02 Takeaway
Select mint green as the main
Metro x Olympic brand color
Maintaining neutrality, functioning well across gender & cultural expectations.
We need to choose a color not used by current Metro lines, convey:
Fresh
Approachable
Vibrant
03 Takeaway
Inclusive design
in diverse user cases
Introduce voice-activated setup system & Diverse visual interface design. Designing for inclusivity means not just translating content, but considering context.
To deepen understanding how people from different backgrounds in moments of stress, excitement, or unfamiliarity.
What's next?
Future goals
Refining the Metro Olympic Experience through Interaction, Branding, and Business Strategy
Continue UI iteration based on user feedback
Improve glancibility and clarity of key screens
Test dynamic visuals (Olympin badges, glow animations) for wayfinding and delight
Refine motion and microinteractions to better guide non-local users
Deepen understanding of Business & Marketing goals
Align product touchpoints (e.g. pins, maps, event prompts) with LA Metro’s Olympic campaign timeline
Strategize partnerships with convenience stores & Metro stations for Olympin distribution
Explore cross-promotions with LA28 hospitality and tourism partners
Enhance interaction & UI readability
Develop a cohesive brand system
Apply Metro’s new design tone across UI, signage, and campaign assets
Balance institutional trust with LA’s creative energy: bold yet welcoming
Activate the Olympin as an emotional connector
Launch synchronized visual effects (e.g. glowing pins) during Olympic wins
Stengthen Brand & Emotion
