Stefan Huber; René Sieber; Andreas Wipf · 2003
This article examines the conceptual, methodological, and technical integration of interactive three-dimensional cartography into the second edition of the Atlas of Switzerland—Interactive, particularly for representing mountain environments. To strengthen the connection between topography and thematic information, the atlas treats 2D maps as a special case of 3D representation and combines spatial, temporal, analytical, and interactive functions within a modular interface. The authors propose a systematic classification of visualization methods for digital elevation models and other 2.5D surfaces based on four criteria: spatial dependence (local or global), computational basis, color dimensionality, and additional parameters. Elementary visualization types can be specified, combined into complex methods, and implemented as reusable modules. Examples include hypsometry, slope, aspect, illumination, fog, visibility, distance, and image or thematic overlays. Users can activate and combine these modules, adjust parameters and transparency, switch between panorama and block views, and generate terrain profiles enriched with thematic data. Such combinations support the exploration of relationships among relief, vegetation, precipitation, radiation, and fog, while also enabling simplified simulations of avalanche hazards, permafrost occurrence, flooding, and summit visibility. The study concludes that modular 3D visualization provides substantial visual and cognitive benefits and establishes an extensible platform for geographic analysis. Because the classification applies to general 2.5D surfaces rather than elevation models alone, it can facilitate future modules for shadows, solar radiation, flow paths, rockfall, transportation, noise propagation, and GPS-based 3D routing.
René Sieber; Stefan Huber · 2007
René Sieber and Stefan Huber describe the concepts, production, implementation, and functions of Atlas of Switzerland 2, the 2004 second interactive edition published on CD-ROM and DVD in German, French, Italian, and English. Building on the 2000 edition, it underwent a fundamental graphical and technical redesign. Its user-centered “GIS in Multimedia” approach combines custom-built navigation and analytical tools with cartographically refined data. The authors’ “Adaptive Map” concept uses multiscale layers, controlled symbol enlargement, predefined settings, and interactive adjustments to maintain legibility during exploration. A map-dominated, modular interface provides consistent access to thematic navigation, spatial navigation, visualization, analysis, and export.
The article details the collaborative production process. ETH Zurich coordinates development and editorial work; swisstopo contributes cartography, multimedia, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution; and the Swiss Federal Statistical Office supplies statistical data and translations. More than 50 data owners and over 20 professional translators contribute. Editorial work proceeds from investigating topics and sources to checking, harmonizing, completing, recoding, and cartographically refining data, then implementing topics through XML map descriptions and integrating multimedia. Consultation with data owners and experts accompanies production. Editorial and technical prototyping took more than two years, with iterative functional and usability testing. The software separates interface, core, and data, combining Macromedia Director and Lingo with extensive C++ components.
AoS2 contains more than 1,000 topics and 7,000 maps, including over 650 nature and environment topics and over 350 statistical topics. Its 2D tools support querying, classification, comparison, overlays, temporal exploration, and export, supplemented by explanatory texts and other media. The 3D section combines panoramas and block diagrams with ray-traced terrain, analytical and thematic overlays, terrain profiles, and extensive queries. Navigation includes continuous movement, camera and line-of-sight controls, a summit-based “climber” mode, and nearly 7,000 predefined viewpoints. The authors characterize the edition as mature and extensible. They outline planned transportation and energy themes, followed by culture and history, alongside additional visualization and GIS tools and possible Internet, school, regional, and tourism products.
Raphael Vomsattel; René Sieber; Lorenz Hurni · 2019
In their account of topic selection for the Atlas of Switzerland, the atlas team traces the expansion of its three earlier digital editions. The 2000 edition covered 250 topics in society, economy, state and politics. The 2004 edition increased this to approximately 1,000 topics, adding nature and environment; the 2010 edition contained approximately 2,000 topics, with transport, energy and communication added as further categories.
