Derek Reed of Silvermaze Ltd and innovator of the Silvermaze 3D Vistagram gives a personal view of the future of 3D mapping.

“Are we going up the map or down the map?”

A question often asked by my wife to whom mapping is a complete enigma.

I, on the other hand, who is someone who has been in the business of creating maps for many a long year, is expected to know the answer to every Geographical question in the local pub quiz.

I wish I could say I meet the expectations of my team mates but that I fear would be an exaggeration of the truth. However there are certain things I have learnt and/or have adopted on the cartographic path.

My larger projects have included the complete re-mapping of Nigeria and eleven of her towns, and my controversial terrain mapping with political colouration of the Caribbean back in the late eighties, which I understand is still a best seller.

Today I, in my company Silvermaze, tend to concentrate on town centre mapping in both 2D, sometimes with 3D embellishments and full 3D styles. The comment I most often hear attributed to our maps is “Your maps are so attractive they make me feel as though I must visit.” This compliment above all fills me with the greatest satisfaction.

It was the Metropolitan Police who commended the Covent Garden Map for its accuracy, detail and ease of interpretation.

“Ease of interpretation”, this I think is the one element above all that stands ‘3D’ maps apart from ‘2D’; by showing the individual buildings and landmarks clearly, they cross many language, age and map reading barriers.

Just ask my wife!

I am often asked whether I think the days of the paper map is doomed. Personally I was involved with GPS or how it is now termed SatNav during the first Gulf war.

The equipment today is unrecognisable from the systems that could only be accommodated in the boot of a very large car.

I am not sure whether we will ever see the demise of the printed map. There is nothing quite like the feel of a map and the usefulness of seeing the relationship between your specific vicinity of interest and the overall area.

It is a souvenir, it becomes personal, almost a friend and like a friend, you don’t often throw them away.

Derek Reed
Silvermaze Ltd
Lion House
High Street
Wiveliscombe
Somerset
TA4 2JX
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