A short history of split-flap displays
Split-flap displays were invented in the mid-20th century and became the signature look of airports and train stations worldwide, before screens, this is how the world showed live information.
The Solari era
Italian manufacturer Solari di Udine popularised the split-flap board in the 1950s and 60s. Their boards filled the great transport halls of Europe, giving the format its other name: the Solari board.
The fall and the comeback
As LED and LCD screens took over in the 2000s, most mechanical boards were retired. But nostalgia never faded, and in the last decade the split-flap look has come roaring back in design-led cafés, hotels, offices and homes.
The modern revival
Today you can have the split-flap look without a transport-hall budget. Split-Flap TV brings the iconic flip to any screen, keeping the charm of the original while adding live data the originals never had.