Discoveries at home.

Bachelor Project — 2020

How a Map Can Help to Escape the Daily Grind.

The aim of this map is to animate the inhabitants to enjoy their nearby environment from a different angle. In "Discoveries at Home." local stories and landscape intertwine. The inhabitants are invited to a physical and emotional journey of discovery within their home town.

Maps are humankind’s constant companion, especially while travelling they are essential allies. This project was developed in 2020, a year in which many trips got cancelled due to the Corona pandemic. In exchange, there was more time for exploring the surrounding area – a fact that inspired this overview map.

Through my research, I eventually came up with three different kinds of paths: Car roads, paved roads (which are especially attractive for strollers and roller skaters) as well as unsecured roads.

I included different kinds of visual variables like shape, size and color. This way, colour-blind people can distinguish between the different paths aswell.

For the map, I collected experiences and insights of the inhabitants through cultural probes, a questionnaire and a focus group.

In total, I highlighted eleven discoveries, which I came across through local literature, field research or surveys.

Maps can also mirror the linguistic history of a specific region. Because of this, field names, unofficial and historical terms are part of the labelling.

For the illustrations I worked with analogue tools, which add through their imperfectness and inexactness personality to the map.

© KLARA HIRSCHBÜCHLER 2024