Design Therapy: Crumpled City

I have zero sense of direction. Cannot read a map and have to use my GPS wherever I go. In fact a very good friend of ours is always lamenting the demise of the paper map. If you think about it, maps really are not at all practical in this modern world, and I fail miserably having to navigate the scale of maps, unfolding them, turning them upside down, elbow in face of the driver as I struggle to find our position on page. You know that utter frustration of trying to fold maps back into their perfectly impossibly concertinaed original form.

Luckily, the humble map has had a makeover and been transformed into the very clever Crumpled City Map. I just love this idea, where you are directed to smoosh up the map on purchase and then store it in the accompanied pouch. "How many times have you driven yourself mad trying to fold a map along the original creases? How many times have you been tempted to screw it into a ball and stuff it in your pocket or bag? Here is the map you've always wanted: it is soft, extra-light, beautiful to look at and doesn't mind being ill-treated. It is truly indestructible." Hooray!



Not only is this such a clever and simple idea, but the design concept and execution (courtesy of Emanuele Pizzolorusso) has such clarity and strength. The best ideas are the most simplistic ones, and this is one of those times.