I found this fascinating Soviet-era map of San Francisco online (Larger Version Here). The incredible detail the Soviets included in this map is astounding. They also used design principles to create well designed maps of the region. These maps were likely intended for a Communist takeover as the Soviets believed communism would win out over democracy (Robertson 2017).
Layering
Layering is utilized on this map to show landmarks such as secret military buildings, ports, parks, and neighborhoods. The map is detailed enough to even see underwater currents and elevation differences in the terrain. The Soviets included a lot of information on this two-dimensional map by adding icons and certain line patterns.
Consistency
The Soviets utilized consistency for this detailed map. There’s an aesthetic consistency in this map. It helps the user easily find things like military bases and major roadways. There’s also a functional consistency with way the Soviets used icons, landmarks, identifiers, and numbers. Users were probably well versed in reading this map.
Color
This map takes advantage of a lot of color. You could see that the Soviets had ideas of what they wanted to use the land for as well. The orange blocks were used to indicate neighborhoods. Blue was used to indicate the ocean and green was used for undeveloped wild terrain.
Resources:
Robertson, M. (2017, November 27). These ‘chilling’ Soviet maps of San Francisco, Bay Area likely intended for the Communist takeover. Retrieved from https://www.sfchronicle.com/living/article/russia-soviet-ussr-maps-communism-sf-bay-area-12384563.php
The Russians Are(n’t) Coming to С-Ф. (2012, October 27). Retrieved from https://burritojustice.com/2012/06/27/the-russians-arent-coming-to-с-ф/