We’re #mapping2018
By: Elijah Zarlin
In 2018, maps pushed new boundaries—bigger data sets, more ambitious storytelling, immersive design, and lots of 3D.
At Mapbox, we know the power of maps to reveal the world around us and connect us to truths big and small —but even we are constantly surprised and delighted by what our developers, customers, and friends are building. Here are just a few(ish) maps #builtwithmapbox that inspired us this year. Have others you want to shout out? Share them with #mapping2018.
Map of every building in America
This New York Times stunner was every bit as gorgeous and audacious as it sounds. The best part? You can build your own.
Clik here to view.
V-Day Snap map
Snapchat’s design team always takes holidays to the next level. Their Halloween map was spooky, their Thanksgiving map was worthy of decorative gourd season, but their Valentines map — with candy heart labels, heart-shaped pizzas, and heart air balloons — really got our hearts racing.
Clik here to view.
Origin-to-destination great-arc circles—made easy
This year we worked with Uber’s data visualization team to integrate their open source deck.gl with Mapbox, to make it easier to visualize massive datasets on the map. Before Custom Layers, the latest integration in the partnership, visualizations with origin-to-destination great-arc circles were difficult to create. Migration patterns never looked this good.
Clik here to view.
Residential flood map
If you think addressing climate change is expensive — try ignoring it. Buzzfeed News mapped 350,000 homes worth nearly two hundred billion dollars that could be at risk of routine flooding by 2050.
Clik here to view.
Roads by Porsche
The custom navigation map in this app for thrilling drives is sleek and sexy—the map version of driving an actual Porsche.
Clik here to view.
Nationwide evictions map
The Eviction Lab at Princeton University built the first nationwide database of evictions, providing a window into poverty and housing crises across geographies in the US.
Clik here to view.
Human Terrain: Global 3D population map
Click through on this incredible visualization from the Pudding to say hello to global population growth, and goodbye to your next 5–20 minutes. Read more on how they built it, here.
Clik here to view.
The disappearing rivers of the American West
This map from Center for American Progress and Conservation Science Partners brings gorgeous design and deeper context to the squiggly blue lines on the map.
Clik here to view.
60 million agricultural fields mapped with AI
OneSoil uses machine analysis of satellite imagery to analyze crop type, size, and productivity for 60 million fields, showing changes over the last three years, and making it beautiful.
Clik here to view.
Mapping the 1968 DC riots
The Washington Post graphics team had no shortage of amazing projects this year, but we were struck by this effort to use maps to bring context to events that happened half a century ago. The interactive project commemorating the 50 year anniversary of the 1968 DC riots earned the National Press Foundation’s Innovative Storytelling award.
Clik here to view.
The Rebelle Rally course map
Four Mapbox leaders spent eight days driving in the world’s only all woman, off-road, off-line navigation challenge. So of course we had to build an interactive map to follow our co-workers across the desert.
Clik here to view.
Documenting truth against government propaganda
Amnesty International created this interactive map to highlight the atrocities by the Myanmar military against the Rohingya people, including before/after satellite imagery of villages reduced to ash, and the journey of more than 700,000 people forced to flee to Bangladesh.
Clik here to view.
“Western” a Red Dead 2-inspired map
For Lee Martin, aka the Rock ‘n Roll cartographer, it wasn’t enough to enjoy the incredible game map in Red Dead Redemption 2, so he built his own in Mapbox Studio. And yes, you can follow him step by step and build with Western.
Clik here to view.
Racial diversity in America, block by block
National Geographic used census data to create this detailed visualization of racial diversity across the US, revealing the imprint of two and a half centuries of migration, conflict, and prosperity.
Clik here to view.
Outdoor adventures in 3D AR
We saw so many amazing uses of AR with maps and location in 2018. Codoon, one of the top social fitness apps in China, makes it extra awesome to review and share your runs, hikes and bike rides by visualizing them in 3D AR.
Clik here to view.
Inside maps!
Why should outside have all the fun? Mapwize digitized floor plans to bring useful navigation to the labyrinthian hallways and corridors of our workplaces, conferences, and events — where we are routinely the most lost.
Clik here to view.
65 years of congressional district boundaries
Election districts are the basic geometries of our democracy. Based on extensive, historic data gathering, ACLU’s What the District?! visualizes 65 years of changing congressional district boundaries and representation.
Clik here to view.
Visualizing global happiness with a Simpsons-inspired map
How else would you visualize the latest results of The Happy Planet Index than with a map style inspired by cartoons, doughnuts, and the constant threat of nuclear meltdown? A perfect map for 2018.
Clik here to view.
This only scratches the surface of an astounding year of maps and data visualization. What maps inspired you? Share your favorites with #mapping2018. We can’t wait to see how you explore next year.
Elijah Zarlin - Brand marketing - Mapbox | LinkedIn
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
18 maps that inspired us this year was originally published in Points of interest on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.