This project aims to create an escape for restless hikers trapped in major cities.
Whilst cities offer significantly more convenience, and a functioning public transport system is something the wilderness severely lacks.
The feeling of being stuck in a sprawling cityscape is often overwhelming and can lead to major health issues if not properly interspersed with adventure.
The occasional break from concrete and steel is the only thing keeping the more Tookish of us from packing it all in and permanently going mad.
Mapping is a constant part of our everyday lives, when done properly it’s intuitive and unquestionable. When done improperly it can cause undue confusion and stress.
To make sure my project fitted within the former category it was vital to study existing products and build a connected list of criteria linking the features an existing route map has and the way in which people interact with it.
We examined a few different styles of maps we’ve got to understand why each map is used. This helped provide a list of features and points to avoid that could be appropriate for our project.
Then taking these criteria we started exploring the form factor of the maps. how they could be used, how they would stored.
Key Criteria:
Simple navigation between stages.
Easily to edit or customise.
Water Resistant Case/Cards.
Simple expandable Template for expansion later on.
Local Knowledge sections.
Highlighted sections for alternate routes or places to return to start/transport.
Minimalist design of the map.
Simple Iconography.
Links in some respect to the digital world. (Preferable google maps due to its ubiquity)
Simple Packing Design for robustness and expansion later.
Less formal language style to match the local knowledge feel.
The below cards are the final designs built for the project. It covers a circular route from Kew bridge station around Chiswick bridge and along the Thames footpath. The packs are then built into folders and polypropylene pouches for easy use.
Each pack contains the route overview, cards splitting the route into smaller sections and overlay variants for the pub walk and heritage trail.
