About the Project

Mapping Future Brisbane was developed by me, Dr. Keir Winesmith, as part of the State Library of Queensland’s Digital Collections Catalyst residency program.

I began this research into post-colonial Brisbane’s urban story by looking at hundreds (maybe thousands) of maps. You can read my findings from that research and analysis of Brisbane’s patterns of mapping, new development and urban renewal. Following my initial research, which included talking to urban designers, place-making experts, historians, artists, and academics, I developed the plan that became this project. I’ve documented that process on the Library’s blog. 

The final project is in three parts: 

1. A research and discovery process which described three waves of mapping, development and renewal of Brisbane - the 1880 & 90s, the 1970s & 80s, and today.
2. A generative, machine learning experiment with the Library’s collection of maps of Brisbane, and maps of Queensland from the Museum of Lands, Mapping and Surveying, as documented in Making Maps with Machines. 
3. And an interactive map co-developed with the technology company Giraffe that you can use to create your own vision of Brisbane in 2036, which is available online. 

I would like to thank the team at the library, especially Rachel Merrick, Anne Raunik and Vicki McDonald. Also Mankit Au, Jenni Edwards, Robyn Hamilton, Daniel Cavanagh, Caroline Crowther, Carreen Dunbar, Catherine Cottle, Leif Ekstrom, Josie Huang, Gavin Bannerman and Louise Denoon.

A massive thanks to those who shared maps and ideas, especially Ray Kerkhove, Kaye Nardella and Malcolm Middleton and the team at the Queensland Government Architect. And to Annabel and Andrew at AX Interactive for the image editing and pre-processing software used as part of the machine learning experiments. 

Thanks also to Rodney Turner, Megan Cope, Carol McGregor, Martin Disley, Cristina Napoleone, Olivia Kelly, Tooey Elliott, Simon Elliott, Ann McLean and Jesse McNicoll for talking through potential ideas with me. 

A big thanks to the team at the Brisbane City Council, especially Wilson Lowe, Sarah Leach, Greg Elphinston and Dylan Zhao. 

Thanks to Rob Asher, Mike Asher and Hank Haeusler at Giraffe for making the 2036 Brisbane interactive map possible. 

A massive thanks to the State Library of Queensland for offering such a cool residency, and for accepting this strange proposal. 

And mostly, thanks to the locals I met and spoke to while walking around Mianjin/Meanjin, Binbilla, Wilwinpa and Tumamun to the north and Cumbukiepa, Kuilpa, Walon-koppa and Corella to the south. You really guided this project.