The Tree Map
About the project
Interactive visualization of New York City’s street tree canopy, built using official city forestry data and styled like a clean architectural site plan. It allows users to explore individual trees across NYC’s boroughs, complete with details on species, health, diameter, coordinates, and Google Street View links, while offering features like 3D isometric toggles, species filtering, and custom layer controls for parks, water, and buildings.
Process
The development process centered on taking official, open-source forestry census data from New York City and reframing it through the lens of architectural visualization rather than standard civic utility. Rather than duplicating or replacing the official NYC Parks Tree Map, which focuses primarily on municipal maintenance, work orders, and environmental impact calculations, this project focuses on spatial presence, visual identity, and design context. The raw spatial coordinates were transformed into an intuitive web application that renders trees alongside building heights, parks, and water bodies using clean site-plan graphic conventions. The build involved creating custom vector icons for individual species, integrating real-time layer and species filters, adding a 3D isometric camera perspective to visualize canopy scale, and linking coordinate data directly to Google Street View and Wikipedia.
Solution
This platform provides a design-focused, visually rich alternative for exploring urban canopy data by consolidating complex spatial layers into a cohesive interactive site plan. Rather than sifting through administrative portals or spreadsheets, users can effortlessly inspect individual trees to assess species diversity, trunk diameter, and health within their full architectural context. The resulting interface bridges technical GIS mapping with refined visual aesthetics, giving designers, urban planners, and residents an engaging new way to experience and analyze NYC's green infrastructure.