“Milwaukee would not be Milwaukee without the Third Ward,” said Manuja Waldia ’14 (Communication Design) while discussing her winning design for a map of Milwaukee. “The inspiration came from the Third Ward and the awesome art scene that it envelopes.”
Waldia’s creativity and love of the Third Ward, where MIAD is located, led her to recently place first in Mapping MKE, a competition for Milwaukee Magazine that asked participants to create maps of Milwaukee that are not necessarily geographical, yet depict elements that make Milwaukee special.
“I’m very taken by the old-school charm of the Third Ward, and tried to include as many vintage and retro elements as I could,” Waldia added. “Design decisions like the cream color of the buildings were inspired by how the city is called ‘Cream City.’ This project is for Milwaukee.”
To create the perfect Milwaukee map, the transfer student interviewed friends and classmates for their perspectives of the city, along with their favorite places and activities.
Her winning design was published in the print and online editions of the magazine, and was a new experience. “Since most of my work is very web-centric, I am excited about getting this published in a print magazine. This was a good way to venture out of my comfort zone, and proved to be a great way to reach out to the creative community in Milwaukee.”
Of the feedback she received from the design community, Waldia said, “The most satisfying pieces of feedback were the ones that talked about how the map feels like home. This experience has made me value the emotional effect a piece of design can have on its audience.”
Waldia is working this summer at Interactive Intelligence.
Click here to learn more about MIAD’s Communication Design program.
Click here to read about the Historic Third Ward being named a Top 12 ArtPlace.
Top image: Map detail
Second image: Manuja Waldia ’14
Third image: Map detail, Third Ward
Fourth image: Full map
