New campus maps series includes garden and sustainability tours

A tremendous body of work has been taking shape in Harper Court through the acts of charting, plotting, delineating, and visualizing — the creation of five modern maps that reflect the evolution of the University of Chicago campus. 

The Campus Directory Map, the Campus Accessibility Map, and the Campus Visitor Map were updated. And tour stops were added within the Campus Gardens Map and the Campus Sustainability Map — where users can select and order destinations and read about features at their own cadence.

“By selecting a tour stop, users can read historical context, architectural and landscape highlights, and fun facts. It’s a great way to get people outdoors and exposed to greenspace, which has a wide range of substantial health benefits,” said Kathleen Golomb, manager of campus environment. 

The endeavor of modern mapmaking

Thousands of people interact with campus maps every day, but few key into what makes modern maps successful like their curators — those architects and technologists whose choices reflect the precision of artists, historians, and engineers, and whose endeavors advance the classic form’s invitation to interact with place.

The chief creator behind the new maps series is Linyu Liu, a Harvard-trained urban designer who has served for five years as the campus environment planning and design specialist on the Campus Planning + Sustainability team within Facilities Services.

“The University of Chicago online map was outdated, as it failed to accurately reflect recent campus developments, including new buildings, upgraded facilities, and updated pathways,” he said. “It also lacked essential modern features that enhance user experience, such as mobile optimization and accessibility options to better serve a wider range of users.”

He and fellow campus planners curated and redesigned the campus map system in collaboration with IT Services, the Center for Digital Accessibility, and MapME, a leading digital mapping company that lets users customize symbology, assign attributes, and organize layers. The data is sourced from the campus Geospatial Information System database, and all five specialized maps are available online and in PDF form.

“The campus map series demonstrates the University’s effort to provide comprehensive resources to meet diverse needs,” said Liu. “Our maps are valuable tools to navigate and appreciate the University’s environment, to highlight must-see spots, and to ensure that all individuals regardless of physical abilities can navigate the campus with ease.”

What results is a detailed, immersive virtual tour of campus, allowing prospective students, staff, and faculty the means to explore the campus layout and facilities from anywhere in the world. 

“To me, the most interesting part of mapmaking is gathering a series of layers to comprehensively look at how multiple factors are coming into play, and then intelligently and sustainably designing with them,” said Katie Martin Peck, the campus landscape architect and planner who guided the project. “It’s a rewarding challenge to understand the context and existing conditions and then propose new enhancements.”

Compiling a map is a comprehensive exercise. Two or three times a year Liu can be spotted, camera-in-hand, traversing campus to document every building and passage for Campus Street Views on Google Maps. He captures seasonal changes and ensures up-to-date and dynamic views of campus. It is through these efforts that one can “walk through” all the campus pathways to view campus Google Maps, which typically only includes views from public streets. His efforts do not go unnoticed by the students, some of whom approach him to chat and share their opinions on the user experience.

“Each time I collect images, I get to see how the campus evolves and uncover areas that were previously inaccessible via Google Street View, which is a truly rewarding experience,” he said. “It offers a new perspective, making it fun to discover hidden corners, unique architecture, and everyday campus life from anywhere in the world.”

“Beyond exploration, these tools enhance navigation, helping users feel more connected to the campus before they even arrive.”

You can explore the new campus map series by clicking here. All maps are compatible across mobile, tablet, and computer devices and meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines standards.

—This story originally appeared on the University of Chicago Office of Sustainability website.