VIAMAPS

VIAMAPS is a map and infomedia brand operated by Planungsbüro VIA, a planning office based in Cologne, Germany. VIA describes itself as a full-service provider for analogue and digital maps and infomedia, covering consulting and concept development, layout, production and implementation. The VIAMAPS product line is built on VIA's own map base, which is released under a free Creative Commons licence — a deliberate differentiator that frees clients from concerns about print runs or follow-up costs for map usage. The brand's output spans physical and digital formats. On the physical side, VIAMAPS covers information boards (Infotafeln), classic print products such as hiking maps and bicycle city maps, and flyers. On the digital side, it offers web applications for PC, tablet and smartphone. VIA states that it tailors these products to individual client wishes. VIAMAPS draws on VIA's long experience in cartography. The office's map work has ranged from classic map production such as environmental transport network maps for various districts, through numerous information boards for tourist cycling routes (Eifel, Rheinhessen, Schwalm-Eder-Kreis), city information (Brühl) and line network plans (Remscheid, Brühl, Wermelskirchen), to web applications (Landkreis Grafschaft Bentheim, Stadt Miltenberg), bicycle city maps and hiking trail maps. An example shown on the VIAMAPS page is a VIAMAP excerpt for the leisure trail network in the Landkreis Göppingen. For VIAMAPS, VIA works with cooperation partner freiluftkonzepte – Marc Rathgeber, who has been active in this field for many years for a variety of clients. Marc Rathgeber is also listed among the VIA team members. Planungsbüro VIA itself is a substantial planning practice. Its team consists of 32 employees in the fields of geography, urban and transport planning, spatial planning and engineering sciences, plus additional student staff and office management. The firm is privately held and is not a listed company. VIAMAPS is best understood as a specialised product brand within VIA's broader portfolio of planning and cartographic services, aimed at public authorities, tourism organisations and other clients needing maps and visitor information media.

VIAMAPS is a product brand of Planungsbüro VIA, a planning office based in Cologne, Germany. The available evidence does not give a founding date for either VIA or the VIAMAPS brand, so the brand's early chronology cannot be dated precisely here. What is documented is the scope and character of the VIAMAPS offering. VIA positions itself as a full-service provider for analogue and digital maps and infomedia, with a service range running from consulting and concept development through layout to production and implementation. The VIAMAPS brand is built on VIA's own map base, which is published under a free Creative Commons licence. VIA presents this as a client advantage: users do not have to worry about print runs or follow-up costs for map usage. The product range associated with VIAMAPS includes information boards, classic print products such as hiking maps and bicycle city maps, and flyers, as well as web applications for PC, tablet and smartphone. VIA states that products are tailored to individual client wishes. VIAMAPS rests on a broad body of cartographic work by VIA. According to the firm, this experience ranges from classic map production — such as environmental transport network maps for various districts — through numerous information boards for tourist cycling routes (Eifel, Rheinhessen, Schwalm-Eder-Kreis), city information (Brühl) and line network plans (Remscheid, Brühl, Wermelskirchen), to web applications (Landkreis Grafschaft Bentheim, Stadt Miltenberg), bicycle city maps and hiking trail maps. A VIAMAP excerpt for the leisure trail network in the Landkreis Göppingen is shown as an example on the brand's page. For VIAMAPS, VIA cooperates with freiluftkonzepte – Marc Rathgeber, a partner active in this field for many years with a variety of clients. Marc Rathgeber also appears in the VIA team listing. Planungsbüro VIA describes a team of 32 employees drawn from geography, urban and transport planning, spatial planning and engineering sciences, plus additional student staff and office management. The firm is privately held. VIAMAPS therefore functions as a specialised cartographic and infomedia brand within a private planning practice serving public authorities, tourism bodies and similar clients, rather than as a standalone company.

Full-service provider of analogue and digital maps and infomedia, differentiated by an own map base under a free Creative Commons licence that avoids print-run or follow-up usage costs for clients.

• VIAMAPS map base

  VIA's own map base, released under a free Creative Commons licence, used across VIAMAPS products.

• Information boards (Infotafeln)

  Physical information boards, including for tourist cycling routes.

• Hiking maps and bicycle city maps

  Classic print map products.

• Web map applications

  Web applications for PC, tablet and smartphone.

• Line network plans

  Network plans produced for cities such as Remscheid, Brühl and Wermelskirchen.

1. 1VIAMAPS: Planungsbüro VIAviakoeln.de
2. 2Über uns: Planungsbüro VIAviakoeln.de
3. 3VIAMAPS – Wikidatawikidata.org