Award winning cartography

Overview

I’m honoured to have been recognised in several award schemes over the years for my cartographic and design skills.

Selection for the 2024 Atlas of Design – Volume 7

British Cartographic Society and John C. Bartholomew Award for Thematic Mapping 2023

 

Calgary +15 Skywalk

Snaking through skyscrapers across the city’s downtown, the +15 Skywalk is a 16km indoor pedestrian network of elevated walkways and 86 bridges connecting over 100 buildings. +15 is well-used by people who live, work, and visit downtown, but it can be a challenge to navigate.

The City of Calgary commissioned Steer to develop a clear wayfinding system that improves accessibility and makes it easier to use the +15 Skywalk network, attracting more people and creating a better overall experience.

In September 2023 the British Cartographic Society and Collins Bartholomew presented Steer with the John C. Bartholomew Award for Thematic Mapping for this entry. The award is presented for originality and excellence in the field of thematic cartography, with emphasis on effective communication of the intended theme. In Spring 2024 the map was selected to be in the next edition of the Atlas of Design by the North American Cartographic Information Society, where it will appear accompanied by a brief commentary to showcase the work behind the map.

“I am honored that our diagram of this complex pedestrian network has also been selected to appear alongside some of the world’s best examples of cartographic design.

I was involved in the early development stages in understanding the geography and connections of the area which then lead to this meticulously designed and beautiful map. I am overjoyed to have played my part in such a great project that is now spreading across Calgary with the installation of further signage.”

Order your copy of the North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS) Atlas of Design: Volume 7

2014 Wallis Award for excellence in cartography

 

Tour de Yorkshire Splashmap

The Tour du Nord maps are broken into the two stages of the “Grand Depart” held in Yorkshire in 2014.  Each stage covered two maps at 1:40 000 and each map was divided into two more-or-less linear sections. This meant that we could design the whole of each stage in two beautiful scarf sized maps, despite the length of the Routes measuring 190 and 201km! The practicality of the maps was picked up in the Yorkshire Post as it gained momentum for the Get Yorkshire Cycling campaign.

The Wallis Award was presented by The Society of Cartographers and specifically the judges loved the maps with comments highlighting the “Very user-focussed design”, “Good visual hierarchy, and sensible selection of features” and “Effective use of a novel medium, retaining graphic clarity.”