Sarah Laskow reveals what may be the greatest job in the world at the moment - those lucky Google employees who are helping to map areas of the world only accessible on foot.
Imagine getting paid to hike and ski in some of the most stunning landscapes in the world. If that sounds good to you, and you don't mind wearing 40-pounds of photographic equipment, you may want to apply for the job of the guy in the video below. As Brian McClendon, VP of engineering for Google Maps, wrote on the company's blog last week in announcing Street View Trekker, the latest step in advancing the company's effort to build a comprehensive map of the entire globe, "There's a whole wilderness out there that is only accessible by foot."
"Trekker solves that problem by enabling us to photograph beautiful places such as the Grand Canyon so anyone can explore them. All the equipment fits in this one backpack, and we've already taken it out on the slopes."
FULL STORY: Google is making a Street View for hiking trails
How Digital Mapping Can Reinforce Inequity
Digital mapping tools like Google Street View often obscure the realities of cities and concentrate their resources in the wealthiest countries, effectively ‘erasing’ some places from the global map.
Big Data Brings Bespoke Cities
This start-up uses an AI to comb through Google Street View images, matching users with cities that fit their "lifestyle preferences."
Friday Funny: Sheep View Goes Where Google Street View Can't
Some local residents of the Faroe Islands created Sheep View 360 to document the 18 rocky islands that make up their home—and now Google is lending a hand.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Surf’s Upcycling: Hawai‘i’s Latest Green Building Material is Recycled Surf Boards
“Surf Blocks” are fire-resistant, termite-proof, and close the loop on mountains of waste from the state’s beloved sport.
Building Age-Friendly Homes
Designing for the unique needs of elderly people can help them maintain social connections and mental acuity.
Nightlife and the 15-Minute City
Plans for compact, walkable cities often don’t address nighttime concerns like transportation and lighting, which can make neighborhoods more vibrant and safe around the clock.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Florida Atlantic University
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service