On the map

Rio – Google has produced an interactive map of Rio’s favelas to celebrate the launch of Google Arts and Culture.

Beyond the Map enables users to explore 360-degree panoramas of Rio de Janiero’s favelas
The favelas are excluded from official maps due to their high levels of crime and notoriety

Beyond the Map places viewers on the back of a motorcycle travelling through Rio de Janeiro that stops at key tourist destinations. Viewers can look around and click on landmarks and photo icons to hear stories from locals, learn more about areas and view images. Viewers can also click through to watch interviews on YouTube.

When the interactive tour reaches the favelas, digital tourists are given a glimpse of the thriving culture present there.

‘Most people only know the favelas through the news – crime, poverty, violence. But that is only a small part of the story,’ says the narrator. ‘The favelas are not simply a place, they are a people.’

The project took two years to create and celebrates the launch of Google Arts and Culture, which enables internet users to explore cultural institutions and art collections from around the world.

The Big Picture :

Google’s Beyond The Map project is another example of how brands are creating a sense of place. Download our free Placemaking Summit Report 2016 to learn why physical space is increasingly important in the digital age.