Three Interesting Maps

http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/global-happiness-study

Above: A map obtained from Discover Magazine's website shows global levels of self-reported happiness. The map, titled "Shiny, Happy People" ranks overall individual satisfaction with life for 178 countries. Factors such as life expectancy, leisure time compared to work time, access to social services, health, wealth and education were assessed to produce an image reflecting global happiness. The "happiest" place on earth was Denmark, followed by Switzerland and Austria. Industrial leaders such as the U.S. and China were surprisingly low-ranking, while the nations of Congo and Zimbabwe were at the bottom of the list. Seeing levels of happiness represented in colors, rather than reading a list, is a more powerful tool for comparison and presentation.

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2010/03/01/how-feasible-is-antonio-villaraigosas-3010-gambit-for-los-angeles-transit/

Above: This hypothetical map represents Los Angeles twenty years in the future, if the city adheres to Mayor Villaraigosa's 30/10 Plan, which would increase zoning density and accelerate the speed of light-rail and subway construction in the city. Created by Transport Politic, a transportation planning website, this map shows all rail line extensions in the same image, with a timeline of construction. While many Angelenos have heard of a few of these projects, seeing them all together is more significant, because the connections between places that currently seem unrelated becomes apparent. The promise of this visual is also motivating; people who might not understand the need for the extension of the Gold Line, may look at this and see how it could connect residents of the San Gabriel Valley to the rest of the county.


http://www.handmaps.org/curated4.html

Above: Hand-drawn maps also capture personal impressions of a city better than other digitally produced or drafted maps. This map, created by a native of Amsterdam, was part of a project launched by the Amsterdam Center for Architecture to capture the essence of different locals' perception of where they live. Each map is unique, and reflects that persons' favorite shops, streets, parks and sights. This map includes homes of friends, bike routes and other personal routes that various participants take to reach the same endpoint. I found this map in an archive for the Hand Drawn Map Association.