Have you ever wondered what the inside of the Seymour Schulich Building looked like? Or wanted to know how to get from Vari Hall to the Pond Road Residence? Or maybe you need to find where all the parking lots on campus are in a hurry?
Well, as of Sept. 24, there’s a map for that – and more.
York University has launched a new, online, interactive map that provides a fully integrated approach to experiencing the Keele and Glendon Campuses. Available through York University’s campus maps webpage, and designed with mobile users in mind, the map allows students, staff, faculty and visitors to easily navigate and access instant information about campus locations, facilities and amenities.
A look at the new, interactive campus map
The new campus map is an improved dynamic experience over the previous version. The new map is based on Google Maps, thus allowing for a completely immersed virtual experience, permitting users to navigate the campus using 360-degree images.
The map provides 360-degree panoramic videos and images, allowing the user to experience specific locations at either the Keele Campus (panoramic images of the Glendon Campus will be incorporated soon). Click on a building to find a description, photos and videos. Built on a user-friendly interface, the mapping platform allows users to zoom in or pan out to the exact level of detail they desire.
The map also includes multiple virtual campus tours, with an introductory video beginning at Vari Hall. Users can move through a series of videos to hear about highlights of key campus buildings and facilities.
As well, the new “wayfinding” feature delivers customized walking routes for getting from point A to point B. Custom print options are also possible, allowing users to print a specific section of the campus and include specific thematic information such as the location of visitor parking lots on the north side of the Keele Campus. The new map includes thematic information specifically focused on enhancing student and user experience, with improved wayfinding and navigation.
Additional improvements f the new online campus map include:
- features to highlight transportation services and locations;
- enhanced search capabilities for any key word in any category or field;
- ability to create, view and print custom maps of the campus;
- fully compatible with mobile devices, the new campus map will instantly recognize the size of the screen the user is loading the map on and adjust to fit;
- a 3-D platform with various thematic layers than can be turned on or off by the user.
Development of the new campus map was led by the Institutional Initiatives Section in the Office of the Vice-President Finance and Administration in partnership with: UIT, Marketing and Creative Services, Office of the Registrar, CSBO Planning and Renovations and a third-party vendor. Development of a new campus map was identified as a recommendation of the final report of the IIRP Campus Experience Working Group.
The new map is now live and can be viewed online at maps.info.yorku.ca.