Metro Detroit Vibrancy Mapping

A Millennial Mayors Congress Initiative

[millennialmayors]

In our 2010 Millennial Engagement Survey, we asked metro Detroit residents aged 18-35, "What places do you most like to visit in southeast Michigan in your free time?" Here are all their responses, mapped out. Fun that you can see trends emerge in "vibrant" cities and along corridors like Woodward Ave.

[millennialmayors]

"To really know a place, you have to walk it."

This imaginary walking tour of Pittsburgh attempts to highlight both the good and bad of the city. The title picture (above) doesn't actually appear to be related to the article, but one can infer that both are trying to tell us that, in order to really know what a city is--what it looks like, who lives there, what you can eat, how it sounds--you have to dig a little deeper than the traditional visitors or asset map. 

[millennialmayors]

From the Daily Mail, this shows New York's morning commute.

Orange = ferries

Green, purple and red = commuter rail

Blue = buses

Other maps in the attached article show the US electricity network, job losses and pizza routes. 

[millennialmayors]

Vibrancy Mapping Pilot Projects: June 13 Update

The Millennial Mayors Congress's vibrancy mapping pilot projects have officially launched this summer! Here's a quick update for those of you following along at home. 

Hamtramck

We're currently creating surveys to be circulated around town that will ask young people: Why are you in Hamtramck today? Why this bar or restaurant or public space? We're also looking for a platform that will allow the final vibrancy map to have capacity for an almost infinite number of filters or layers for amenities and information. 

Madison Heights

The Madison Heights rep is coordinating with City and WalkScore.com staff to compile a list of all businesses within city limits and convert it to a format that's uploadable to Walk Score. Once that's done, we're planning a publicity campaign to highlight the city's walkability. 

Roseville

Focusing on Gratiot Avenue, we'll survey young people to identify places for young families to eat, meet and hang out. Our first planned outreach is at the Roseville fireworks, on June 23! Our booth will survey Millennials and have an interactive activity where children (and their parents) can craft their own ideal city out of boxes. 

Southgate

We've already started circulating our Southgate Vibrancy Mapping survey, and have heard from a number of Millennials about where they like to go in Southgate and how they city could be made more vibrant. We're now shortening the survey so it can be placed in local bars and restaurants. 

Ypsilanti

The Ypsi reps are finalizing a survey that will identify and collect information about all the best places in Ypsilanti. We're still searching for a web- or app-savvy person to help create an interactive trip-planning tool. 

At our last administrative meeting, we identified a few key questions we need to answer before moving forward, and we invite your input now: 

 What should we show in our maps?

How do we decide which places to include?

What are the operational capacities our maps should have? 

How do we turn data into maps and apps? 

Thoughts? Put 'em in the comments.

[sunrec]

London hand-drawn map by Jenni Sparks

“London by Hand” is a hand-drawn map of London, created by British artist Jenni Sparks for London-based art print producers Evermade. Based on a geographic map of the London metro system, the print replicates the streets, neighborhoods, and landmarks of the city, as well as highlighting lesser-known, quirkier shops, museums, and tidbits of local history. The birthplaces of british celebrities and locations of local markets are among the information depicted in hand-drawn letters and sketches. Jenni Sparks worked for two months to complete the map, which is sold here on the Evermade shop.

[millennialmayors]

From The Atlantic Cities (and originally from The Atlas), an exploration of how we classify urban and suburban development. This map shows home ownership, journey to work, and one-family houses.

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The Detroit Works Project Long-Term Planning released this graphic displaying Detroit neighborhood conditions, based on economy, physical condition, people, and more. What does this graphic say about these neighborhoods? What decisions can really be made based on this? 

[millennialmayors]

We've officially decided which vibrancy mapping projects we'll be piloting this summer across metro Detroit! Our plans include surveys, Walk Score, visitors maps, map-drawing meetings and more. Read more about it at the longer blog post, above. 

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The Start Garden, an online start-up contest that looks similar to Hatch Detroit, houses this idea for an interactive wayfinding kiosk highlighting things to do in downtown Grand Rapids. 

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How do we define the places within Detroit? This HuffPost Detroit piece from Timothy Boscarino explores the business of putting names and boundaries to Detroit's neighborhoods. 

[millennialmayors]

Met last night with the Millennial Representatives from Roseville and Madison Heights. The Roseville rep has already started mapping her community's vibrant places! She'd like to brand her city as the haven for young families, since those assets are currently a strong part of Roseville's character. 

Key to the map above: 

Green - Parks

Orange - Entertainment and Activities

Blue - Shopping Centers

Red - Family Restaurants

Different Red [is that pink?] - Fast Food

Purple - Coffee Shops

She was unsure on how to include city buildings and services, churches, or schools. 

[millennialmayors]

This idea from Mappy Hour was explained to me on the car ride home, so correct me if you were there and I'm explaining it wrong, but here's what I think it was: 

When people move to a new place, they can be reluctant to leave the confines of their apartment to check out the unfamiliar hood. The map app proposed by this group would encourage people to venture out a little at a time. The destinations would be farther out from home base each week, eventually taking you region-wide. I'd be in if we can make it like a pirate's treasure hunt.

[millennialmayors]

We took another stab at drawing Ypsilanti at last night's Mappy Hour--this time under the guise of "Neighborhood Impressionism." Bonus points if you can find the hipster coffee mug. (Spoiler alert: It has a mustache.)

[millennialmayors]

Mappy Hour is Tonight!

Join us for drinks and map chat at the Mercury Burger Bar in Detroit at 5! More info: http://on.fb.me/IlD2tI

[onyourbed-blog-blog]

[millennialmayors]

This map from Atlantic Cities shows the borders and regions created by communications (phone calls) and mobility (migration records). The article also has a great map showing regional divisions based on the use of "pop," "soda," or "coke." How does culture shape our maps?

And why is Michigan so alone in this map?

[fanrva]

Richmond Deconstructed

Richmond Deconstructed

If you cut every block in central Richmond off a map and spread them out on a table, it might look like this.

Inspired strongly by Armelle Caron’s “Anagrammes graphiques de plans de ville,” but I imposed an additional layer of topology: in addition to shape and size, the true north-south orientation of each block is also maintained.

via Cakes and Courage

Original Article

[millennialmayors]

What would you do if you could cut up and rearrange your city? How would you want it to look? What would you want to be near what?