Mind the map, or Through the world in 24 hours = Mind the map, oder In 24 Stunden durch die Welt : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

The Master of Design project ‘Mind the Map’ or ‘Through the World in 24 Hours’ involves the discovery of new places, the rediscovery of familiar places, and the simultaneous imaginary and real perception of two places. Both of the sample locations, Dresden in Germany and Wellington in New Zealand, are not positioned precisely antipodal with regard to each other, but they are nevertheless separated by the maximum possible distance around as well as through the globe. This research project is driven by these questions: How can I bridge the temporal and physical gap between two places in a visual manner? How can the process of discovering and exploring new places contribute to the rediscovery of familiar places by using maps and photographs? The visual impressions produced possess an experimental character, and these may be assigned to the ‘mapping’ component of photography and illustration. The design results of the project have been presented in a type of atlas. The experimental approach to designing the maps continues in the design of the atlas; the atlas may be read from either end. One important difference between Dresden and Wellington are different rhythms of life according to time zones. This fact inspired my maps and formed the conversation between these two places. In each of the four chapters, the time zones, the day-night rhythm, the way of life in the city, and finally, my own perception of these topics are discussed. This ‘zooming in’ in four stages or chapters is based on a stageless change from ‘macro-objective’ to ‘micro-subjective’ perceptions, and this is clearly expressed by the respective visual media.