May 2010
22 posts
Paula Amaral
“Using map conventions, I produced a 4 x 6m 1:1 topographic survey of my domestic space. The everyday objects that dictate the spatial configuration of the room are by contours taken at 30mm increments using the ground plane as a datum. The project aims to deconstruct the distinction between landscape and representation. defined”
Heaps more great map stuff is in her portfolio...
Mapping:
“Maps are simplified schematic diagrams that employ a universal visual language through which we codify and comprehend our world. We all use maps in our daily lives as sources of information about places, routes, networks and boundaries. They offer us the means of describing and understanding the intangible too - everything from air routes and constellations to states of mind.
Although...
Vintage San Diego map
A vintage map of San Diego. Im liking the perspective. The perspective reminds me of the campus map of Massy University Wellington (In our student diaries).
Susan Stockwell
Stockwell’s work is mainly concerned with transforming found, everyday domestic and industrial items into art objects. In her use of maps she is not only interested in their aesthetic qualities, she is also highly conscious of the tensions that are linked to them. Within the decorative patchwork of Imperial Quilt un-natural borders have been created, countries with uneasy social and...
Stefanie Posavec
Posavec’s work illustrates that geography is not the only thing that can be represented through the process of mapping. Her three maps visualise the language structure used in Jack Kerouacs novel On the Road. She developed rules to represent the rhythm of Kerouacs language, the themes addressed within the book and the length of his sentences. Her work also shows how diverse the graphic...
Hand Drawn Map Association →
he Hand Drawn Map Association (HDMA) is an ongoing archive of user submitted maps and other interesting diagrams created by hand.
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Tube Map with Walklines
For some journeys it’s really not worth getting on the tube: it takes a long time, and costs you money. Sometimes it’s quicker and easier to walk.
This is a slightly altered map showing which stations are an arbitrary and as-the-crow-flies 500 metres apart from each other. The “walklines” are dotted in, and the standard tube map has been faded out so the walklines are...
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Ahh Penguin Books.
What more can I say. I love penguin books. Especially this London Underground-esque mappy one. mmmm.
http://www.shriyamalhotra.com/page/2
“To understand a symbol and its development is to grasp human history in a...”
– John Zerzan
( Could come in handy if I decide to use pictograms and symbols in my future design work, its from the article Time And its Discontents at http://www.primitivism.com/time.htm )
European Capitals Connected
Some inspirational maps by this guy Stijn from the Netherlands
“Don’t ask me why, but I made a map on which every European capital is connected to every other capital. If I did the math correctly, there are 946 connections.”
http://stijndamiaan.tumblr.com/tagged/map
The Shaded Eye
The Partially Sighted Society (PSS) developed and promoted the Symbol of Visual Disability, commonly known as the Shaded Eye, which is now internationally recognised. There was a conscious decision within the Society that this would not be used only as a logo of the Society, rather that other bodies should use it to show that they were willing to adapt their services to meet the needs of people...
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DC Metro Tactile Map
For the visually impaired - the various Metro lines and stations are in braille, with different patterns/shapes for different color lines.
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Wayfinding for the Visually Impaired - Braille Map
Braille Map, University of Cambridge: this tactile map is actually an amazing scale model of the campus with braille dots embedded in the streets.
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Dialogue in the Dark
What if you had to go through your daily routine without seeing anything?
Dialogue in the Dark (DiD) Singapore puts visitors in everyday situations - except in complete darkness. Simple things like crossing the street or visiting a hawker centre suddenly become extraordinary challenges.
Blind guides lead visitors through simulated environments. In the darkness, visitors are forced to rely on...
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Words separate … Pictures unite
“Words separate … Pictures unite” claimed Otto Neurath, a designer/philosopher working in Vienna in the early 20th Century. His Universal Silhouettes form the basis for most of the ideographic wayfinding and information systems in the world today. He strove to achieve a “humanistic visual austerity” and claimed that “those who drew educational pictures as servants of the public and not as its...
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Color Blind Subway Map
Brooklyn based designers David Heasty and Stefanie Weigler (ofTriboro Design) have produced a new New York City subway map printed in a single color: Florescent red, of course. As Heasty notes, “The new design strips away the familiar color-coding of the subway system routes while still maintaining a level of hierarchy and functionality. All lines of the map are forced to conform to an...
April 2010
31 posts
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Bristol Legible City
Bristol Legible City is a unique concept to improve people’s understanding and experience of the city through the implementation of identity, information and transportation projects. It was published by Bristol City Council and its partners in June 1999.
“Its a unique concept that takes into account the needs of the user at every step - whether its a tourist trying to find a hotel,...
“70-75 per cent of the information we receive is given through eyesight. Anyone...”
– Peter Barker, Manager, JMU
Silent London Map
Using information the government has collected on noise levels within London, a map has been plotted of the capitals most silent spaces. The map intends to reveal a hidden landscape of quiet spaces and shows an alternate side of the city that would normally go unnoticed.
http://www.simonelvins.com/silent_london.html
“People ignore design that ignores people”
– Frank Chimero
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WatchHere is a video I found about the previously mentioned “Pathfinder” by David Sweeny. This video presents the key ideas which resulted from the “Sound of North” research project. Produced by David Sweeney at the Royal College of Art’s Helen Hamlyn Centre.
http://vimeo.com/4783510
Tactile Ground Surface Indicators
(Copied and pasted from my Research Summary)
Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI) were developed by Seiichi Miyake and were first introduced in a street in Okayama city, Japan, in 1967. TGSI are bright yellow tactile pavers with a distinctive surface pattern of truncated domes or truncated bars designed to give warning of hazards and directional information to pedestrians who are blind, or...
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Talking Tactile Map
(Copied and pasted from my Research Summary)
David Sweeny, the designer Pathfinder has also developed the Talking Tactile Map. Sweeny (2008) expresses that excessively complex maps are useless as they are impossible to read, overly simplified maps are easier to read but the sparse information limits their usefulness. Tactile maps have always suffered from this trade-off between legibility and...
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Pathfinder
(Copied and pasted from my Research Summary)
Currently fixed static signs form the basis of most wayfinding systems. However, “electronic and dynamic media are becoming valuable additions to the wayfinding tool kit” (Gibson, 2009, p. 118). “Because of the evolution of hardware, the increasing use of global positioning systems (GPS), and the growth of wireless networks, the mobile wayfinding...
My Major Project Abstract
Finding your way with wayfinding: The problems and difficulties encountered by the visually impaired in the Wellington CBD environment.
Complex urban spaces can create wayfinding challenges to human navigation. To those with impaired perception, cognition and mobility, this task can be overwhelming, disorientating and frustrating. The term wayfinding is used to describe the environmental design...
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind →
The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind is New Zealand’s primary provider of vision-related habilitation and rehabilitation services to blind and partially sighted people.
Each year nearly 1,200 New Zealanders who have gone blind or experienced serious sight loss register as RNZFB members. The RNZFB equips its 11,700 members with the adaptive skills, technology and resources they need...
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Lazarus Wine Label
The story of the Lazarus Wine’s braille label is simple - the wine is produced by blind people, and the label was designed to highlight this aspect of production, as well as make the label intelligible for the blind population.
http://www.thedesignblog.org/entry/10-design-innovations-for-the-visually-impaired/
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Sentio Digital Tactile Watch
Technology for the blind and the visually impaired has always been half-baked and visually drab; the argument being, where’s the need for visual enhancement when the user is not sartorially qualified! A biased opinion in the ‘eyes’ of many, thus opening up avenues for design enhancement and the incorporation of next-gen features in gadgets developed for the visually challenged. Matthew...
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WalkRide Newcastle Gateshead Map
‘WalkRide’ is an information and movement identity for Newcastle/Gateshead that seamlessly combines information for both pedestrians and public transport users in the city. The first phase of the project has just been completed. It includes the livery and all related information for a new city centre electric bus system – QuayLink – and a new WalkRide city centre map for pedestrians....
Airport Wayfinding Systems
A research project that folds down into a map like format. The project profiles various airport wayfinding systems whilst comparing them with each other. Expanding upon this theme is the referencing of artists and designers that have contributed to this subject directly or indirectly.
http://www.ashspurr.com/
MyWayfinder
Wayfinder is a pioneer in the Location Based Services (LBS) area. In 2009, Wayfinder was acquired by Vodafone and is now part of Vodafone Internet Services. Your are able to plan your trips in advance, manage your Favorites and send routes and destinations by e-mail to friends, family and colleagues!
http://www.wayfinder.com/
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Navigate like bats...
Wearable Obstacle Detection System for visually impaired People
“The user can be alerted of closed obstacles in range while traveling in their environment. The system we propose detects the nearest obstacle via a stereoscopic sonar system and sends back vibro-tactile feedback to inform the user about its localization. The system aims at increasing the mobility of visually impaired people...
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Inside Out Guide Book
From Penny Thomas:
The Inside Out Guide Book series from Rand McNally is pretty much the Swiss Army knife of travel guides. It’s constructed with a sturdy vinyl cover, a pen, a light, and even a compass. But the coolest part is the way the map expands off the page, popping open to expand to double size. They are great recommendations for everything including dining, lodging, and transport.
Wayfinding and Brand Perception: Function and form...
“The ultimate expression of your brand lies in your audience’s experience. The verbal and visual elements of a wayfinding system act as the framework for your brand expression.
Wayfinding functions like a utility because:
the information provides the “fuel” that feeds the system.
there is an interconnected quality to wayfinding elements; a gap in the system can lead to...
Signs 2010 →
Julia Turner, Deputy Editor at Slate Magazine, has written an excellent series of articles on wayfinding signage. It includes these articles:
The Secret Language of Signs: They’re the most useful thing you pay no attention to. Start paying attention.
Lost in Penn Station: Why are the signs at the nation’s busiest train hub so confusing?
Legible London: Can better signs help people...
Flashlight Projector Map
Tamtam flashlight map tells you where to go by projecting directions right in front of you, generating a whole new playful and intuitive way of experiencing navigation. In case the user gets lost, Tamtam can also project a more traditional map onto any surface. The map is zoomable and scrollable like any digital map.
http://www.toxel.com/tech/2010/02/21/flashlight-projector-map-concept/
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The Ultimate Wayfinding Typeface
From Ralf Herrmann’s blog:
“While road signs in general are scientifically researched for many decades in western countries, little is known about the parameters that lead to a maximum legibility of typefaces used in signage. And therefore the range of typefaces used on road signs is pretty wide. We see geometric typefaces, slanted serif typefaces, and many old and modern sans-serif...