06/07/10: Mapping Our Environment
I’ve always been drawn to maps. There’s something very satisfying about a simple visual document that gets you where you need to go. I’m thus very excited whenever I’m called upon to design a map. We’re so used to looking at google maps these days that we forget that maps can have personality and tell a variety of different stories. The first question is how much space are we mapping? Naturally a map of the United States and a map of Park Slope are going to look very different. The amount of information included is directly related to how much we are zooming in on an area. (So you’ll see my Sudan map has a very different look from my park maps.) 
The next question is what do we include? If we have a small focus, the tendency is to want to include everything. Working on the Highland Park map project, I learned a valuable lesson—sometimes you have to reduce elements to tell a better story.
Highland Park was a unique case. It was truly an unmapped park in the city of New York. I had to draw from geographical surveys, reservoir surveys, and some random bits and pieces that had been put together over the years. But more than that, I had to actually go to the park and visualize the space. The biggest challenge was trying to explain that the park’s dual structure is not just a visual break, but a physical break because the top portion is significantly higher in elevation. To get to it from the lower park, you have to climb a series of staircases (not ever shown in previous maps). The map started out as a simple locational device for the bathrooms and ball fields but it developed into a more complicated story of how much walking you need to do to get to these places!
The final thing that needs to be done to a map (beyond the actual cartography) is to give it flair and style. It needs to be reflective of its environment and depending on its location and function, it needs to tell a unique story. Each of these maps correspond to a different branding story told by the individual parks (click the image to enlarge). Riverside Park Fund’s ski map builds on the wayfinding system and color scheme I developed a few years ago. The FDR Park sign adds historical context and fun to an otherwise simple unobstructed view. It’s a visual reference for the daily speed walkers to track their progress and for those more willing to engage, thes signs also detail significant historical information at that particular location.
So if anyone needs a new map, let me know. I’m happy to put on my walking shoes and visualize your environment.