Low-Tech Park Maps

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The High Park Map Uses a Grid System to Help Friends Find One Another

— August 8, 2016 — World
Hanging out in a park is a gleefully tech-free experience, and the High Park Map by Torontoist.com strives to keep it that way.

When relaxing in a grassy meadow, soaking up the sun and enjoying the surrounding greenery, the last thing park-goers want is to spend ages on their phones helping their friends find them. But friends are a welcome addition to parks, technology be damned. To solve the conundrum, the High Park Map divides the public space into a grid, allowing people to say "I'm at C4" rather than "I'm by that weird-looking tree."

The High Park Map was inspired by the Trinity Bellwoods Map created by Jason McDonough. While these systems are imperfect, they are a tongue-in-cheek response to a growing over-reliance on technological devices.

Trend Themes

  1. Tech-free Park Experience — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing low-tech solutions that enhance park experiences without relying on technological devices.
  2. Grid System Navigation — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating grid-based navigation systems for public spaces to simplify location sharing and finding friends without using smartphones.
  3. Tongue-in-cheek Maps — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Designing humorous and unconventional maps as a response to the over-reliance on technology for navigation.

Industry Implications

  1. Outdoor Recreation — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing innovative products or services that enhance the outdoor recreational experiences in parks and public spaces.
  2. Travel and Tourism — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating novel navigation solutions for tourists visiting unfamiliar parks and leisure areas.
  3. Cartography and Mapping — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Redefining traditional cartography by incorporating unconventional and playful elements in map designs for different environments.
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