GreenMap NYC: How this Map was Designed

Design Challenges

Presenting the Complexities - Clearly!

Many months went into researching the contents of the Powerful Green Map. Piles of related materials, conference and meeting notes, web resources and news articles made the complexity of the energy environment in New York City quite clear - the question was, how to provide a vision that would help motivate the average New Yorker to get involved.

With an astonishing array of positive sites and resources to showcase, as well as a whole host of downsides we uncovered, we started composing 3 maps. We didn't want to be too negative, yet we did not want to gloss over the problems associated with our "fuelish choices". We spoke with many environmental and energy experts, and analyzed many other awareness resources, including several of the 225+ exciting Green Maps created around the world. O2 NYC devoted an evening to this project and helped us sort things out. The environmental committee of the NY Academy of Sciences and the Mayor's Green Apple Initatives were extremely helpful as were scores of other experts, listed on our Sources and Credits page.

We decided to open with the Energy Dark Sides, giving users the impetus to act, first on the Every Day & Easy map's practical, low-cost options, then moving deeper into the Powerful Investments Map, which charts renewables, green buildings, and more. Each map guides you into taking the next steps. Hopefully, by the time you explore the many resources in full and put the map to use, you are greener, wiser, thriftier and more secure as a "power user".

Putting it All Together

With this 3 step-3 map concept in mind, we turned to the design question. We borrowed the format of own LoMap of Lower Manhattan for the print map. A handy pocket-size when folded, the sheet expands horizontally, ideal for arranging the 3 views of the Powerful Green Map. We asked Jane Barber of Jane Barber Design to be the graphic designer, and happily, she was great to work with throughout the many changes and created a handsome look and feel for the project.

Researching and writing the narrative (almost 20 pages!), plotting all the sites and adding 200+ web addresses took most of 2005, with development of a database, multilingual website resources, fundraising, outreach and other aspects of the project happening simultaneously. Our team worked hard to present our vision, a glossary of definitions, inviting images and site listings in a compelling manner.
Glossary Snip

It was an exciting process because NYC is such a great place with so much going on! Finishing touches were added in December, and the map was press-readied while the city was temporarily turned into a haven for cycling and walking during the transit strike. In a few weeks, the printing process was completed and the launch was planned for February 15 2006.

A Balanced Mix

The Powerful Green Map does not have a specific criteria for inclusion, rather, it's a balanced mix of great models and excellent resources to learn from. We opted to show green homes simply as Icons for privacy's sake.

As in previous editions of the Green Apple Map, we found it difficult to squeeze everything in! Rather than reduce everything and crowd the map, we put in plenty of web addresses and information resources that will help you find out about the places not shown or not completed when we went to press. LEED

Check the digital edition for updates (download the PDF to zoom in and expand the size of the maps and listings, too). Get a printed copy, too! Planning for future editions including the database-driven interactive map is already underway - let us know your suggestions.

With the energy picture changing almost as dramatically as the climate, we moved with alacrity to publish in the winter, when we assumed the high cost of heating our homes would be on the front page of all the New York newspapers. Little did we guess how unseasonably warm it would be here during the first few weeks of 2006! However, launch week started with a record 26 inches of snow, by Wednesday, it was over 50 F, and by Friday, alarming new reports about climate chnage were in the headlines, so our timing turned out to be right.

Colophon

Adobe's Creative Suite and Acrobat, Apple computers, Green Map Icons, Emigre's Tarzana Font. 104,000 folded maps and 2000 copies were printed by Greg Barber Company with soy based inks on Cascade Enviro 60# Text: 100% post-consumer waste recycled and 100% processed chlorine free paper (third party certified by Chlorine Free Products Association). This website uses a content manager provided by Bomee Jung of GreenHomeNYC.org and an open source gallery by Gallery.menalto.com. Find more design and resource credits here.