In 2012 I briefly profiled a book titled the ‘Atlas of Design‘, dedicated to “showing off some of the world’s most beautiful and intriguing cartographic design”.
The Atlas aims to inspire readers both within the field of cartography and without toward new understandings of design, and of the power that a well-crafted map can have. In an age when more and more mapping tasks are being turned over to computers, the Atlas provides one more answer to the question: What do cartographers do?
Back in 2012 the plan was to commence a 2-yearly cycle of new editions of the Atlas, providing a fresh collection of maps that show-off the best of modern cartography. If you get your calculators out and type in 2012 + 2 you will see that 2014 happens to be the year of the second volume.
Daniel Huffman, Co-Editor of the Atlas and Director of Operations for NACIS – a not-for-profit organisation of cartographers – has been in touch to share details of the plans for the new 2014 edition and specifically to help spread the word for a call for submissions from mapmakers across the globe.
Our goal is to draw attention to the role of art and beauty in mapmaking, and to produce a book that will inspire future mapmakers.
If you are interested in putting forward your own work and potentially helping to fulfil this role of inspiration, here are the key details you need to know:
- All mapmakers are encouraged to offer their work for consideration
- Entries will be judged by a panel of experts
- The book featuring the top choices will be published in October 2014
- Visit here to submit your work
- Entries must be received by February 28, 2014
- For reference, see the 2012 edition of the Atlas of Design