Mapping My Lockdown Life

I LOVE A GOOD FLOOR PLAN

Since I was a kid, I had a real penchant for floor plans. I'd endlessly draw versions of the apartment I would have one day when I was a grown up. It would have a loft bed for sure, and lots of plants and musical instruments and two rotary phones. When I actually became a grown up, every time I moved to a new place (which was a lot) I would first draw floor plans and then pencil in ideas of where everything would go.

Anyone who has seen my office at work knows that I'm really specific about my physical and aesthetic environment. That's why when I saw this article from City Lab, I immediately devoured each different person's interpretation of how to map their lockdown life. There are such beautiful, creative interpretations from all over the world, each accompanied by introspective musings about living in a newly-shrunken visual environment. I have too many favourites, but I loved the one from Ankara, and also love the one who noted her "fig tree of sanity".

Inspired, I set out to draw my own map, which no surprise turned out to be a  floor plan of my apartment where, because I'm immunocompromised, I've been working from home and rarely going out. A few nights in a row, I laboured over my drawing, eschewing social media scrolls and video calls in favour of markers and paper.

It was revelatory and almost meditative, trying to accurately get the rooms and walls right, and then, once the layout was perfect enough, it in with how life has been with 3 people in an apartment for 6 weeks.

It helped me process the first six weeks of isolation in a way I hadn't had the chance to. I miss walking around and being part of the swell and smells of the city but it's also been nice to slow down a bit. For home to be home and not just a way station. By drawing a map of my isolation life, I took stock of the impact of this time and what I hope for the future. I really recommend you do this exercise. What will your lockdown life map look like? 

I love maps so much, I’ve even produced entire radio programs about them (more than once!) and back in ole 2012, I even passionately defended them, when I absolutely refused to get on board and use GPS.