About Tactile Terrain

Tactile Terrain is a collaborative project of artists, designers & fabricators who bring each map from a concept into a fully realized work of art.

Founded by cartographer James Tyrwhitt-Drake, the studio draws inspiration from the mountains and forests of the qathet region of coastal British Columbia. Our work spans interactive exhibits for national parks, environmental awareness installations, and private commissions that transform how people see and understand landscapes.

We see maps as storytelling tools — works of art that draw people into the world around them. Landscape models create vivid perspectives of any location; they can be used to orient visitors, plan expeditions, facilitate conservation, unite communities, market destinations, and manage resources.