Bringing Neighborhoods to Life

Jennifer Mapes, an assistant professor of geography at ��Vlog�ƽ��, developed an interactive mapping project that reimagines how people connect with the places they live. Using 3D printing, data visualization and storytelling, Mapes' work explores the South End neighborhood in Kent, Ohio.

The South End was historically home to laborers who built and worked on the railroads. “The majority of the homeowners were first-generation Eastern European immigrants and African Americans who moved north during the Great Migration,” Mapes said.

Before the 1970s, only larger cities had access to neighborhood-scale data from the U.S. Census. For smaller communities, records were handwritten. Mapes's project sheds light on the South End’s essential role in Kent’s history, growth and culture.

Ideas Sparked

The inspiration for the project didn’t come from a classroom or lab, but from Mapes’ daily walk to her child’s school, Holden Elementary, which serves the South End.

“We walk to school every day, and although I don’t technically live in the South End, I pass through it regularly,” Mapes said. “As a geographer, I began noticing small but telling details in the landscape.”

What began as simple awareness grew into a question: How could this neighborhood’s story be told in a way that was engaging, accessible and educational?

From Observation to Innovation

Mapes considered several ways to present the project before landing on the idea of 3D printing. The goal was to create a learning experience that was both visual and tactile—especially for children in the community.

“I had this idea in my head to do something really tangible that kids could get their hands on,” she said. “Holden Elementary has 3D printers, and there’s been a lot of excitement around the technology. I wanted to go further and use 3D printing as part of a broader educational experience.”

The result was an interactive 3D map of the South End, with individual buildings printed to scale and wired with lights. People could press buttons to illuminate different parts of the neighborhood, with each light representing a data point or historical narrative.

The project became an innovative form of geographic storytelling—one that brought history and data to life.

Help From the Design Innovation Hub

While the vision was hers, Mapes credits ��Vlog�ƽ��’s Design Innovation Hub with helping to bring the project together. The DI Hub provided both the physical tools and collaborative environment necessary for the idea to evolve.

“If I hadn’t been thinking in this DI mindset from the beginning, this project probably wouldn’t have happened—or at least wouldn’t have turned out the same,” she said. “Having access to a team of experts, including incredibly talented student workers, gave me the confidence to try things I hadn’t done before.”

One challenge stood out: wiring the buttons for the lights. The circuitry didn’t behave as expected.

“It turned out the wiring was just nonstandard—both wires were positive, which isn’t what I expected,” she said. “But the important thing was knowing I had support if I needed it. That safety net made it possible to keep going.”

Education Beyond the Classroom

At its core, the project is about making geography come alive—not only for students at ��Vlog�ƽ��, but also for young learners in the South End who may not always see their community reflected in educational materials.

“This project blends data, geography, storytelling and design,” Mapes said. “But more than anything, I hope it gives people—especially kids—a sense of connection to where they live.”

That sense of place, of belonging, is at the heart of the project. The map isn’t just a static display; it’s an interactive representation of a neighborhood’s identity.

What’s Next?

Although the South End project has reached key milestones, Mapes says the future is still open-ended. She’s working with Kent’s Research Center for Educational Technology to help local teachers learn how to create similar projects.

Her thoughtful, experimental and curious approach offers a compelling model for how academics can engage with their communities in creative, impactful ways. As technology continues to evolve, so too does the potential for projects like this to encourage education and understanding—one 3D-printed house at a time.

Learn more about the Community Geography Collaboratory on their .

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