Formalizing Content and Form in Maps
ISBN 978-85-88783-11-9
Authors
2Stirnemann, J.M.; 2Fabrikant, S.I.; 3Klingemann, H.; 4Dittelbach, T.
2GIVA (UNI ZH), IKG | HKB (UNI ZH) Email: juliamia.stirnemann@hkb.bfh.ch
2UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH, DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY Email: sara.fabrikant@geo.uzh.ch
3UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES BERNE
4UNIVERSITY OF BERNE, DEPARTMENT OF ART HISTORY
Abstract
There are currently two issues that must be addressed when looking at the relationship between content and form during the creation of a cartographic representation using a Semiology of Graphics. The first issue is that the elements in the most prevalently used semiology are not clearly structured according to content and form. The link between content and form is of vital importance when creating a cartographic representation by means of a Semiology of Graphics. During this process, the individual elements must be linked to each other in such a way that each of them is assigned a meaning and can be represented accordingly. The second issue that must be addressed is that, the range of potential depictions through all possible combinations of elements is barely exhausted. The objective of this article is to outline the use of a Semiology of Graphics using a structured and targeted combination of the elements content and form. This process results in cartographic depictions, which again cause depictions by their overlays respectively their catenation, which unite the information content in one illustration. This principle shows not only the variety of possible representations, but allows us to predict the resulting quantity as well as the manner of representation, based on the elements that are used. The construction of cartographic visualizations is comprehensible because of the formalized representation and therefore serves as a basis for an automated application when constructing diagrammed and cartographic graphics.