Future Mapping Company Berlin

A detail-rich take on the modern map that is equal parts informative and decorative

Though maps began as utility-minded reference tools, they’ve always had artistic elements. From elaborate compass roses and sea monsters that lurk near remote coastlines to carefully selected color palettes, the aesthetics of maps sometimes even trump accuracy. We’ve been following Future Mapping Company since the East London outfit’s early days and are continually impressed by their ability to pack information beautifully into an expertly executed …

Future Mapping Company

London's niche cartographer Marcus Kirby fuses data with design in a brilliant NYC map

In the contemporary age of GPS and smartphones, mapmaking is quickly becoming a craft of the past. But Marcus Kirby, founder of East London’s Future Mapping Company, is determined to make us think otherwise with his new representation of New York City, set for release at the end of May. “I felt that the art and craft of mapmaking had become quite formulaic,” Kirby says, …