From Flatland to Spaceland

Moving from flatland to spaceland”, this phrase aims at a development in atlas cartography, which represents a move from 2D maps to 3D representations. Navigation thus becomes a central feature of interaction. The concept of ‘3D thinking’ in interactive atlas navigation results in user-friendly solutions, which allows for a smooth shift between 2D and 3D maps and for easy 3D navigation with no loss of orientation. 3D navigation includes processes of wayfinding and of motion. Starting with a simple camera model, we propose easy-to-use navigation modes for atlases. We also present a number of examples from the current test version of the «Atlas of Switzerland – interactive».