A Small Town's Game-Changing Approach to Mapping

Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow shares the story of how the small, historic community of Portsmouth, New Hampshire implemented innovative mapping software that shows how new buildings will fit into the town's historic fabric.

As Tuhus-Dubrow explains, Portsmouth shifted its use of technology to more aesthetic ends by using Tangram 3DS to create a 3D map of "nearly the entire historic district" of the town.

The goal of the maps, which were solicited by the city, is to enable architects, developers and the public to see how proposed buildings would look in context. Developers are, in fact, now required to show before-and-after images for major infill or redevelopment projects at planning meetings. The visuals are also available at a web portal so the public can see them at any time. You can zoom in and out, and see 360-degree views.

In the remainder of the article, Tuhus-Dubrow also explains the recent history of 3D mapping technology, first implemented by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, as well as some of the details about what makes Portsmouth's effort innovative.