Ephemeral mapping of changing perception of place through creative practice

Abstract

ABSTRACT One's perception of place is in constant flux, shaped by experience, memories, and feelings over time. Time and perception of place are inextricably linked, where the transient nature of time and one's perception of place affects one's understanding of the world. This transience challenges cartography. This paper reports on the outcomes of a year-long mapping project (A Walk in the Park), where the effects of time on perception of place could be seen through recording personal experiences of being in the park. The outcomes of these experiences were used to develop a new model of reflective practice which is called the Interdisciplinary Model of Creative Practice. This model and an accompanying tool, the brief, was employed to create ephemeral mapping prototypes from records of my experiences and ideas about time and perception of place from the scholarly literature. The model builds a creative mapping process by drawing from and weaving together the perspectives of scientific cartography, design, and artistic expression. Using the example of ephemeral mapping, this paper shows how one can use this Interdisciplinary Model of Creative Practice, describing the approach for other researchers, cartographers, designers, or artists who might utilise the model and tools offered in this paper for their own creative practice.