Big in Japan!

Commission Chair Kenneth Field and Vice-Chair Ian Muehlenhaus attended the 29th International Cartographic Conference and 18th General Assembly in Tokyo, Japan, 15–20 July 2019.

 

They hosted half a dozen paper sessions with nearly 30 excellent papers on the themes of map design. The papers can be viewed either in full, or as abstracts here, along with all of the other papers presented at the conference:

Field and Muehlenhaus also organised and chaired the judging of the International Cartographic Exhibition which saw nearly 400 maps and map products of all types on display.

 

One of the products on display as part of the outcomes of the Commission on Map Design’s work in the period 2015-2019 was also recognised with an award. Cartography., authored by Kenneth Field won 1st place in the Educational Products category. We are particularly proud of this award given the Commission’s overarching terms of reference to help educate people in the craft of excellence in cartographic design. All 2019 awards can be seen on the main ICA website here.

 

After two terms as Chair of the Commission, Kenneth Field is stepping down and is replaced by Ian Muehlenhaus as the new Chair for the period 2019-2024. The Commission’s updated Terms of Reference for the period 2019-2024 were ratified at the General Assembly in Tokyo. Ken will continue to assist Ian as Vice-Chair. This change also means the Commission is now supported through the United States National Committee for the ICA after having been nominally under the United Kingdom Cartographic Committee under Ken’s stewardship.

Here’s Ian presenting a wonderful discussion on banal cartography at the conference…so, one thing’s for certain, you’ll not find any banal map design stuff here for the next four years at least 🙂 Congratulations Ian, and good luck in your new role as Chair of the ICA Commission on Map Design.