Divercity: a map of Manhattan that represents NYCs diversity

An illustrated map of NewYork that will take you on an amazing journey through all the cultural layers of the world's most diverse city

Divercity is an illustration of Manhattan that showcases the incredible diversity of one of the most extraordinary cities in the world—New York.

Our goal was to create a unique image that accurately represents the geography of Manhattan, from its historic Downtown to the iconic grid of Midtown. We wanted it to serve as a simplified yet realistic map of the island for both tourists and locals who love New York.

This project began three years ago, and I am thrilled to announce that we have officially launched today! My name is Waso Danilenko, and I'm the on of the creators of the map.

Waso Danilenko

Co-Founder of Divercity map

At the same time, we set out to make the map three-dimensional—not just graphically, but in terms of meaning and values. We wanted to capture the depth of stories, cultures, and traditions that have shaped and continue to shape New York City.

Thus, the idea of Divercity was born—a name that plays on the words “Diversity” and “City.” We brought this illustration to life by adding hundreds of unique characters, animals (not just rats and pigeons!), and historical references to legendary figures, films, and photographs that are intrinsically tied to New York. Not to mention the city’s iconic landmarks, parks, architectural masterpieces, religious buildings, legendary NYPD officers, and their antagonists.

You can look at our map as if it’s a still frame from a film, filled with hundreds of frozen moments spanning different eras of one of the world’s most fascinating and famous cities.

The level of detail explains why this project took several years to complete. The illustration covers the entire island—from the southern tip with a view of the Statue of Liberty to the northern border of Central Park. The most observant viewers will spot the city’s renowned museums along the park’s western and eastern edges. Every corner of the city is bursting with life—people, animals, and various characters are depicted with such detail that you can even see their clothing.

The map features over 300 elements. Here are just a few highlights:

Among the buildings, you’ll find not only the Empire State Building but also The Vessel, my favorite VIA 57, Trump Tower, Frank Gehry’s 8 Spruce Street, Zaha Hadid’s 520 West 28th, the undulating Copper Towers, one of the tallest residential buildings — 432 Park Avenue, Santiago Calatrava’s Oculus, the slimmest skyscraper—111 West 57th St, and the New Museum by SANAA, just to name a few modern 21st-century structures.

Between the buildings, you’ll discover incredibly busy characters—working, escaping from a giant gorilla, playing hockey and baseball (remember New York’s teams?), issuing fines, praying, getting married, rapping and reciting poetry, playing the trombone (hello, Louis Armstrong!) or just jamming jazz, feeding pigeons (who’s been to Washington Square Park?), joining street protests, walking their dogs, shaking hands near the UN, jogging in Central Park, taking selfies on the Brooklyn Bridge, playing golf and basketball, painting, and even beekeeping.

If you use your imagination, you can almost smell different parts of the map—pizza, hot dogs with ketchup, sweet donuts, garbage near large black bags, pastrami and bagels, coffee, ice cream, pretzels, horses, burgers and fries, freshly bitten apples, aromatic espresso, and baguettes.

When my friends and partners— Vitalik Bykov and Valera Golnikov—brought me the idea for this map, I was confident it would be a great project about the city. However, I never imagined I would reach the conclusion that New York is not just a city, but an entire universe. Despite living here for six years and working on this project for three, I now realize that this universe is infinite, and I am only beginning to explore the galaxies closest to me.

What started as an entertaining project turned into a personal research endeavor. What does diversity truly mean? It can be racial, cultural, religious, linguistic, social, economic, physical, or ideological. The more answers I found, the more questions arose, deepening my curiosity about the world and my place in it. As an immigrant in New York, I found it particularly fascinating to study this multi-layered city.

I also want to highlight the incredible talent behind the illustrations — Maria Tyurina. Her deep involvement, professionalism, attention to detail, creative insights, and impeccable style made this map truly special. Maria, you’re a rock star!

A huge thank you also goes to Yana Tsvetkova, who managed this project for all three years.

We have launched this project on Kickstarter to raise funds for the first print run and to transform this illustration into puzzles, posters, stickers, and merchandise.

I would love for Divercity Map to become a wonderful souvenir for anyone visiting New York—a map that serves as a catalog of hidden details seamlessly embedded into the city’s visual fabric.

Additionally, I believe Divercity Map is an exciting gift for anyone who wants to learn more about the Big Apple. It’s perfect for both children and adults—you can spend an entire evening exploring the characters and stories depicted on the map, discussing the reasons and consequences of various events shown in the illustration.

The most personal aspect of this map for me is that it serves as a reminder of how amazing it is to live in such a diverse and unique world—one that can coexist peacefully within the framework of a single city, setting an example of cultural harmony where each tradition enriches and improves the others.

If you like our project, support us on Kickstarter and spread the word about Divercity Map to your friends and followers on social media.

Project website: divercitymap.com