Making-of the tile grid map layout of Belarus
I've wanted to make a reusable tile grid layout of Belarus for a long time, and when I finally got around to this task again, I decided to take a more systematic approach to finding the best tiles configuration.
I have already turned to the method of visualizing data using a tile map before, but each time I was not satisfied enough with the distribution of tiles: either a particular region turned out to be too far from its neighbors, or the overall shape was severely distorted. There was always something that made me want to reconsider the arrangement of the tiles in the grid, so each time I ended up with a new layout.
Therefore, finally getting to work on the reference layout, I formulated the most significant criteria that must be taken into account in the design:
- uniform shape for all districts (naturally, in this case it is a square);
- equal visual representation for both larger and smaller districts;
- the relative location of the districts corresponds to their location on the map;
- the proximity of neighboring districts is preserved in the layout, border districts are placed on the outer contour;
- the outlines of the regions and the outlines of the country are easily recognizable and keep their shape;
- natural order and alignment of the districts distributed along the horizontal and vertical axes.
With all this in mind, I created an interactive prototype, using which I searched for the appropriate location for each tile-district.
See also one more shot.
Here's what the process looked like:
