An architect made these gorgeous maps of New York City subway stations

In 2010, Chan moved from Hong Kong ...

... to New York.

In Hong Kong, she grew up with helpful maps of subway stations, complete with numbered exits. "It's a really crazy system that helps people get to where they need to go," Chan says.

But in New York, there aren't any such maps, so you have to ask strangers for directions. So Chan figured she'd make her own maps.

In June, Chan started on a "pretty rudimentary" geographic process: walking lengths of subway stations with a clipboard, pencil, and camera, counting the number of steps as she went.

She would take photos to help record-keeping, too.

The first map was Columbus Circle. Most stations take many visits to get a complete map, Chang says.

The first step is walking from the entrance to the turnstile of each exit. Here's Times Square, which took two weeks.

Then once she has the outside mapped, she makes a printout of her incomplete map, and heads through the turnstile to document the interior. Here's Herald Square.

"After an hour, it’s exhausting," Chan says. Here's 23rd Street, which only took two days.

Union Square is the last of the maps thus far. Chan says that the reception has been mostly positive, and she'll continue the project if there's enough demand.

"I like to be able to explain things," Chan says. "If words cant do it, I like to draw it. People say, you could publish a book, make an app. I don't know yet. At the end of the day, I’m just a person who enjoys drawing."