Mapping My Hometown

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Details

Cardboard & Paper
10in. x 10in.
2026

Overview

Mapping My Hometown is a two part exploration of my hometown, Chicago, through abstraction and spatial hierarchy. Beginning with a mixed media collage and evolving into a monochromatic paper relief, I investigated four defining systems of Chicago: the street grid, waterways, building elevations, and the CTA “L” transit network.
In the first iteration, each system was assigned a distinct material, corrugated cardboard for the city’s architectural density, colored paper for the water ways, colored trace paper for Lake Michigan and newspaper for the Chicago River, colorful thread for the interconnected transit lines, and dental floss for the city’s street grid system.
The second iteration challenged me to communicate the same information using only white paper, shifting the focus from color and material contrast to light, shadow, depth, and figure ground relationships. Through cutting, folding, rolling, and layering techniques, I transformed the four systems into a unified tactile composition while maintaining each system’s individual identity.
Together, these projects demonstrate my ability to translate complex information into clear visual narratives, using material experimentation and thoughtful composition to demonstrate the structure and character of a place.

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