Mapping controls our perception and impacts the way we understand our environment. In the past, the map itself was a precious object. Used by property owners to define boundaries, by the military to fight wars, by explorers for navigation, and by municipalities to fight fires - the map embodied an extraordinary investment of time and resources that gave the owner the power to shape the world. With technological advances like GIS, Google Maps and smart phone technology, the relationship between the map and its user changed dramatically. No longer a precious object, new maps are generated constantly and instantaneously. Access has been expanded from several hundred to millions. Even the ownership and creation of maps has shifted toward the user with the advent of customization and consumer input. This new technology marks a fundamental shift not only in the map as object but also in its power to influence perception.

The Center for Architecture, 536 La Guardia Place, New York City, NY
July-August 2011

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Manhattan Grid, Mapping the Cityscape focuses on the ways in which mapping influences our perception of the environment. Historically, cartographers created maps to document the built environment to ease navigation and ensure the safety of both city dwellers and travelers. With developments in desktop publishing, mapmakers were empowered with tools to create diagrammatic and interpretive maps that conv
eyed more layers of information. Maps began to move beyond the pure documentation of our surroundings to a more holistic understanding of place.