Abstraction of Cartographic Maps with Interactive Optimization: A Case Study of Aggregation Operations

Abstract

Scale-aware maps visually represent geographic information according to the scale of interest. Large-scale maps show detailed features, while small-scale maps require abstraction to fit into the limited space. This abstraction process, often referred to as cartographic generalization, improves map readability by avoiding spatial conflicts between geographic features. Key techniques include displacement (moving features), selection (omitting features), aggregation (combining features), and simplification (reducing complexity). Aggregation and simplification are complex because they introduce macroscopic transformations into the spatial configuration of maps. We describe our recent advances in interactive optimization for aggregation of building features aggregation, specifically in residential maps, accommodating a variety of needs and conditions from cartographers.