Europa Technologies strikes gold with two awards at Esri User Conference

The first award received was one of three Cartography Special Interest Group (CartoSIG) Excellence Awards. The second was the prestigious “Most Innovative Map Award”. This category is for creative new or experimental uses of cartography in work which is created in a graphically distinctive or constructively provocative way.

Streets of Gold is a 1.13m square map of greater London created on a base of 24 carat gold leaf. While gold is a wonderful material to work with, it is also costly when production mistakes are made. For this reason, this work is a collaboration between Europa Technologies and Ewan David Eason, a talented London-based artist who is skilled in working with gold leaf. While Ewan has made maps incorporating gold leaf before, this work is the first time Esri GIS software and Ordnance Survey data were used in production. This has resulted in increased detail from an authoritative source and, through improved layer management, enabled innovative new methods such as the precision application of UV varnish over water features.

The work was inspired by the story of Dick Whittington who leaves home with his cat to seek his fortune in London, where he believes the streets are “paved with gold”. The precious metal is also associated with golden anniversaries and therefore serves as an homage to Esri, Inc. which this year celebrates 50 years in business.

Warren Vick, Founder & Director of Europa Technologies and co-author of the map, commented, “On behalf of Ewan and Europa Technologies, we are thrilled to have won these awards at the Esri User Conference 2019. With over 18,000 attendees, this event attracts a very high standard of work on display in the Map Gallery. We are delighted that Streets of Gold has received such high praise and recognition.”