Researchers McGlynn and Payne have introduced a new tool called the Relational Reprojection Platform (RRP), which allows for custom azimuthal reprojections of spatial datasets with non-linear distance transformations. This interactive tool builds on historical cartographic practices and modern digital experiments, aiming to make complex projections accessible to non-specialist cartographers.
The RRP is inspired by the work of mid-twentieth-century geographers like Torsten Hägerstrand, Waldo Tobler, and William Bunge. It enables users to create what were once considered artisanal projects without requiring extensive expertise in cartography.
The platform has been applied across various disciplines, demonstrating its versatility. "These use cases show the myriad ways in which a counter-GIS tool can enable new kinds of cartographic thinking," say the researchers. The tool helps visualize relational spaces within specific contexts and facilitates discussions by presenting changes over time or comparing different relational spaces.
McGlynn and Payne encourage digital geographers to develop more experimental tools that challenge traditional visual spatial representations while maintaining rigorous data analysis standards. They conclude their study with a call to action: "We conclude with a rallying cry to digital geographers to create more experimental tools to challenge our established notions of visual spatial vernacular while still remaining committed to rigorous, reproducible data analysis."
