With the premise that we often search for locations based on how long it takes to get there rather than where they actually are in physical space, the time map by Mapbox sheds all of the latter. Placing yourself in the center, the time map shows locations in the direction you have to go and the minutes it takes to get there.
By removing literal geography, we now have a map that more closely reflects the way we think about our environment: a cluster of restaurants “five minutes that way” versus “ten minutes the other.” We can watch our surroundings literally expand and contract with different means of travel. And only after choosing a destination do we think about roads, turns, and the specifics of how to get there.
