Image of the illustrative map guidelines I created based on the findings from the audit.
3D modelled scene in SketchUp
Traced scene in Adobe Illustrator
Partially painted scene in Rebelle. At this point in the process, it became clear that the area by the benches on the right as well as the left side of the foreground felt empty. To resolve this imbalance, additional figures were added in SketchUp.
Additional figures added in SketchUp at the benches and crosswalk.
Additional figures traced into the existing linework in Adobe Illustrator
Final Chinook LAP Chapter 2 Illustration
Evaporative Landscapes tells a story of desert weather patterns in Utah. Mid-afternoon storms bring large volumes of water, creating fluid layers on top of the sand dunes. As quickly as the storm begins, it dissipates, returning to an intense sunny day. The water evaporates rapidly, leaving behind textured sand patterns. Evaporative Landscapes demonstrates this progression of evaporation through five panels. The first panel appears blurry from a distance, illustrating the feeling of looking through water at sand ripples. The panels continue to become more textured and defined from left to right. The final panel illustrates the feeling of looking at the sand patterns that water left behind as it evaporates. Up close, the intricate textures from the CNC drill bit are visible.
A photo from Zion, Utah is converted to a depth map and 3D modeled using Grasshopper. By adjusting the point sampling parameters, the transition from smooth to detailed textured models is created. The final pieces are cut out using a 3-axis CNC milling machine on scrap pieces of Corian material sourced from various countertop manufacturers and suppliers in Calgary. Lentil sprouts were planted in the failed attempts at producing the final panels.
Sea Through tells the story of watching algae float through water, abstracted by sunbeams. Different angles reveal varying patterns and details. The six pieces of bioplastic create a gradient from clear and translucent to dark green and are arranged at varying heights and angles to create the opportunity to experience the piece differently from multiple angles.
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In terms of process, a photo of rocks and waves on a coastline is converted into a 3D model using Grasshopper, then contoured to create organic linework. The contour map is then projected onto digital surfaces and then scored onto each piece of homemade bioplastic using a laser cutter. The organic forms of the bioplastics are inspired by algae shapes often found near the ocean and are laser cut out of the bioplastics.
Flowers and other plants were collected from my mom’s garden and dehydrated. The composite materials each produced a unique bioplastic. The shapes were laser cut and then heat molded to the forms produced in Part 1 – Evaporative Landscapes. From left to right the plants are as follows: hops, sunflowers, cabbage, yellow/orange flower mix, lavender, russian sage and lavender.
The two photos provide the context for the Evaporative Landscape and Sea Through pieces. The first photo is from Zion, Utah, taken in April 2024, and the second photo is from Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, British Columbia, taken in April 2023. These photos were converted to depth maps and then abstracted and 3D modeled using Grasshopper to produce the sculptural pieces. Both the locations are places where I have personally had tactile and memorable experiences with both water and sand.
The research process involved several key steps. Initially, we focused on process planning and objective finding, setting clear goals to assess the effectiveness of LAP tactics and the creative workflow's efficiency. Data gathering was a critical phase, where seven sets of data points were investigated. These included a detailed analysis of all LAP graphics that have been created since the beginning of the projects, analysis of demographic data, engagement metrics, case studies, creative processes and workflow, and interactive workshops with the Planning Design Team. This comprehensive data collection was followed by analysis and synthesis to identify key areas for improvement. The final step included brainstorming and ideation sessions to generate actionable ideas, culminating in the final areas for improvement.
Three guiding principles were central to the audit: catering to various learning styles, designing for low cognitive load, and ensuring inclusive design. These principles aimed to make LAP tactics more accessible and engaging to a wide audience. These guiding principles highlight the importance of incorporating elements for read/write, auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners, creating content that is easy to understand for diverse audiences, and ensuring simplicity, familiarity, consistency, and relevancy in design.
The audit included a thorough review of graphic elements such as people illustrations and maps. The unique watercolor illustrations were found to align well with LAP guidelines, making the graphics approachable and friendly. However, inconsistencies in visual settings were noted, leading to the creation of best practice guidelines. The illustrative maps were also successful in their engaging and playful nature. Recommendations were made to adapt the level of detail for different scales and improve consistency with existing transit guidelines. Case studies from Portland and Los Angeles provided valuable insights into successful interactive maps and content chunking practices.
Image of the analysis whiteboard for the Phase 1 tactics. The same process was followed for each of the four phases.
Image of suggested modifications in illustrative map details based on scale.
The audit highlighted the need for a distinctive LAP approach that resonates with specific communities. This includes creating unique people illustrations for each LAP and choosing areas zoned for growth for booklet covers. The diversity of people in the illustrations was generally successful, but areas for improvement were identified, such as body type, gender diversity, and family diversity. The recommendation presented to the team involved providing detailed demographic data to the design team to create more representative graphics. Additionally, the current translation processes could be improved to include a wider range of translated graphics as seen in the Los Angeles case study.
Different strategies for engaging various audiences were explored. For the community audience, a high graphic-to-text ratio, clear headings, and content chunking were recommended to make content more digestible. The youth audience was targeted with activity-based content and simple layouts. For designers, key graphics with minimal supporting text were suggested to quickly convey design principles. Technical audiences were catered to with text-heavy documents and key supporting graphics, organized into consistent categories for easy navigation.
The audit process emphasized the importance of project management, file structure, site visits, and creative briefs. Multiple workshops and brainstorm sessions were held with the Planning Design Team to assess the current file management structure, creative process, communication with the Planning Team, and creative guidelines.
Whiteboard from the first workshop.
Whiteboard from the second workshop that built on ideas brought forward in the first workshop.
These workshops resulted in the creation of this flow chart to streamline the creative process.
A final report was created with an in-depth summary of the process and findings. You can read the full report here. The following map guidelines were also created based on the findings of the graphic audit and guiding principles.
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