CicLAvia Traveling Map

Project Description

Through the lens of Neighborhood Engagement, CicLAvia tasked us to identify, create, and design ways to get community members excited about the event and see it as an opportunity to activate their spaces.

Problem

When planning a CicLAvia event, organizers will go door-to-door through specific communities, and for many people it’s hard to understand what the event is and what it is not. For example, many people consider the event a closure, when many businesses would actually benefit from staying open. What are the ways to explain to event locals what the event is and how it’s inclusive for everyone. So how might we encourage participants to engage along the route and activate business participation?

Insights

During the research phase our team discovered at the CicLAvia Heart of LA event that participants needed access to a map to help them navigate the route and find open businesses.The map created an opportunity to have conversations with event goers and businesses which led us to further insights: participants need a place to access community information and businesses need an easier way to get information on how to get involved.

Solutions

Our solution was to design a traveling map to increase engagement between participants at the event and the community. This large-scale, physical traveling map would give participants a visual understanding of their location while the traveling guide (volunteer) spreads the word about things to do on the route that are not highlighted on the CicLAvia website. This would encourage discovery and exploration of local businesses, hidden gems, hot spots, and activities along the route that are meant to further enhance their experience that day while opening their eyes to another area in LA.