A collection of all blog posts by Stephanie May.

blog/Stephanie May

Open Data Maps for AWS

Stephanie May | 08.17.23

Earlier this year, Amazon Location Service launched their Open Data Maps collection, and with it four new map styles that Stamen designed. This wasn’t just any project for us. As Kate Leroux, Stephanie May, and Seth Fitzsimmons explained at State of the Map in Richmond in June, it was a chance to showcase not only...

What’s next for Stamen Maps?

Stephanie May | 08.08.23

The Stamen map tiles have long been one of our most iconic offerings, but only recently have we engaged with how to sustainably move them into the future. In June’s episode of Pollinate we dig into how some of the headier challenges of performative materiality apply to preserving the Watercolor style in the Cooper Hewitt...

Here comes the future of Stamen Maps

Stephanie May | 07.28.23

Since 2011, Stamen has provided free custom-designed basemaps for the whole world, for anyone to use, for any purpose. Long after other map providers went out of business, started requiring API keys, or charging for usage of their maps, we kept providing our maps for free. Why did we keep doing it, years after others...

State of the Map recap

Stephanie May | 06.29.23

After three years of limited conference attendance, we had a blast at State of the Map US this year! The conference was held in Richmond, Virginia, so a long trip for those of us on the West Coast, but close to home for others, now that we are fully remote. It was great to come...

Level Up Your Navigation: Inside Stamen Design’s Route Simulator

Stephanie May | 05.12.23

If you’ve been following some of our recent posts about maps and gaming, perhaps you’re wondering, what lessons on spatial navigation can we take from game design and apply to navigation in the real world? The answer is that the visuals that accompany the driving directions you get from Google, Apple, Waze or most other...

Pollinate Ep. 17- Jeffrey Linn & Speculative Cartography

Stephanie May | 04.13.23

As we emerge from three years of pandemic, social isolation, and political instability, how do we as humans cope with living in an uncertain world? How do we find joy and connection while acknowledging the inevitability and looming threat of climate change? In this podcast episode, Cartographer Jeffrey Linn introduces us to the concept of...

When Creating a Digital Map, Know Your Options

Stephanie May | 02.23.23

Digital maps are everywhere. Through real-time data feeds and integrations, maps can turn into comprehensive multi-purpose tools within your organization, as well as a core part of operations, logistics, and customer-facing products. Geospatial analysis and location intelligence is a business priority for all industries, including governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, telecommunications groups, manufacturing and retail. At...

What is Full Stack Cartography?

Stephanie May | 02.02.23

In a series of presentations and podcasts over the past year, Stamen cartographers Alan McConchie and Stephanie May have been exploring the world of contemporary online map making, and how Stamen Design has developed a uniquely collaborative way of working to build maps for a wide range of clients. In this short recorded conversation, we...

Stamen + MapLibre

Stephanie May | 11.01.22

We are happy to share that we have begun work on improving MapLibre Native with technical leadership by Wet Dog Weather and funding from AWS. MapLibre Native is an Open Source SDK for rendering maps on mobile and other devices. We at Stamen rely on map renderers to display the beautiful maps we create for...