Atlas of Human Impact Vol I

Download a digital copy or order your printed book at the end of this article.

Things we buy in the supermarket. Words we speak in a political debate. Trips we take across the globe or across the street. Flowers we pick in our neighbor’s garden. Our actions have impact. We leave traces; every day. Individually, we try to do the right things and we hope that our actions, consciously or unconsciously, affect the natural and cultural systems in our surroundings positively. Yet we know that our collective global impact significantly disrupts our planet’s climate and ecosystems.

In past years, the most recent epoch in Earth’s history has often been described as the Anthropocene. To collectively look at the traces of this new, yet unofficial, geological epoch, the contributors of this atlas—artists, designers, and social scientists—met virtually on March 11, 2021. Over the period of 24-hours, a total of 36,322 permutations (atlas plates) were created through synchronous and asynchronous collaboration. This publication introduces only a fraction of the output that has been generated.

The workshop was initiated by The Phaistos Project—Forty-five Symbols and the platform Open Collab, presented and supported by Parsons School of Design, School of Art, Media, and Technology, and the class Critical Thinking & Making: The Visual Archive.



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You can order the publication at lulu.com. It is available with different covers—the content is exactly the same. There is no revenue for any involved partners; the price (USD 19.93) covers the printing. You can also download an InDesign template to design your own cover and upload the project to lulu.com.


Atlas of Human Impact Vol 1
Cover 1
Paperback, 342 Pages, 8.5 x 11 in
Paper: 80# White, Matte Cover
Print Cost: USD 19.93

Atlas of Human Impact Vol 1
Cover 2
Paperback, 342 Pages, 8.5 x 11 in
Paper: 80# White, Matte Cover
Print Cost: USD 19.93

Atlas of Human Impact Vol 1
Cover 3
Paperback, 342 Pages, 8.5 x 11 in
Paper: 80# White, Matte Cover
Print Cost: USD 19.93

InDesign Cover Template
Plus all pages as PDF
Adjust cover and order at lulu.com:
Paperback, 342 Pages, 8.5 x 11 in
Paper: 80# White, Matte Cover