Adding intermediate representations in a multi-scale map to enable a smooth zooming

Mapping applications, i.e. websites where a multi-scale navigation in topographic maps is available, may be used for wayfinding purpose for instance. Such mapping applications display multi-scale maps, i.e. set of maps at different scale. However, the displayed representations can present large differences (Fig. 1). To recognize the different representations of the same real world entity across scales, users sometimes have to make a quite important cognitive effort. We make the assumption that adding intermediate representations may be one way to reduce the gaps between the existing levels and thus to ease the user navigation.