Work

Climate Neighborhood Dashboard

Interactive dashboard exploring climate risks per neighborhood: heat, flooding, drought and green coverage across the Netherlands.

SvelteKitD3.jsMapLibreGIS
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How climate-proof is your neighborhood? This interactive dashboard for the Climate Effect Atlas gives quick insight into climate resilience at neighborhood level: from green coverage and heat stress to flooding risk. Compare neighborhoods by type or municipality, identify urgent challenges, and discover opportunities for climate adaptation. Built for municipalities and anyone working on climate-proof cities.

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Drought Visualization

Circular interactive visualization mapping the full drought chain, from meteorological causes to impacts on water, soil and economic sectors.

D3.jsReactBézier curves
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An interactive circular visualization that maps the full drought chain in the Netherlands, from meteorological causes to impacts on water systems, soil, and economic sectors. Users explore cause-and-effect relationships by hovering and clicking through interconnected layers. Filter by landscape type or stakeholder to find relevant drought impacts and adaptation solutions. Developed for the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure with data from Deltares research.

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Pontkomt

Realtime ferry app for Amsterdam. Built as web and native app with SvelteKit and Capacitor, using GTFS and OVapi public transport data.

SvelteKitCapacitorREST APIiOS/Android
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When does the next ferry leave? Pontkomt answers that question in real time. Built as both a web app and native iOS/Android app, it parses GTFS-realtime and OVapi public transport feeds and presents departure times in a clean, glanceable interface. A personal project born from daily ferry commuting in Amsterdam.

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Unseen Heat

Award-winning interactive visual story exploring extreme heat scenarios in the Netherlands through 2050, with data visualizations and audio narration.

SvelteKitD3.jsScrollytellingAudio
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What if extreme heat becomes the new normal? Unseen Heat is an interactive visual story exploring potential heat scenarios in the Netherlands through 2050. Combining data visualizations with audio narration, it turns scientific climate projections into an immersive scrollytelling experience, making temperature data and return period statistics tangible. The project received an award at The Climate Creatives Challenge by The Environmental Design Studio, and was published at the EGU General Assembly 2024.

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How I work

Start with the question

Every visualization starts with the question behind it. Do we want to present a viewpoint, or invite people to explore the data? What form gives the best insight, fits the audience, and fits the budget? I work those answers out together with the client, and translate them into visual requirements.

A wall full of colorful sticky notes

Sketch before code

I sketch several designs first, as close to the end result as possible. On paper it is easy to change course; once the programming has started it gets expensive. Only when the client is happy with a sketch do I start building, asking for feedback along the way.

Interface sketches in a notebook

Form follows content

Some datasets fit a classic bar or line chart. But to really draw attention, a visualization needs a shape of its own: a burning tree for European forest fires, a blood stain for war casualties. You have to dare to go further than your own imagination. Good data-art carries emotion, not just insight.

Working on the drought chain visualization

Open tools, built to last

I build with open web technology such as SvelteKit, D3.js and MapLibre. Svelte was born at The New York Times, out of the needs of interactive data journalism, and fits data visualization like a glove. Fast, accessible and maintainable, so tools keep working long after launch.

Svelte D3.js MapLibre

About

Daniël Staal

About me

I'm Daniël Staal. I make data visible in forms that go beyond standard charts: from interactive maps and dashboards to infographics and data-art.

Since 2019 I'm the lead data visualization designer at Climate Adaptation Services, where I've designed and built some twenty interactive tools used by municipalities, water boards and researchers across the Netherlands. I mostly work with climate data and geo-information. Before that I studied Artificial Intelligence (MSc, University of Amsterdam).

My visual climate story Unseen Heat won an award at the Climate Creatives Challenge and was presented at the EGU General Assembly. I also teach data visualization and mentor students in visual data communication.

Outside of work, I draw portraits, play music with my band Steelstreet, go bouldering, weave baskets, and tend to the garden.

Download my CV (PDF)

Contact

Interested in a collaboration or have a question?

or reach me at hello@danieldatadesign.com LinkedIn

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Daniel Data Design: Daniël Staal, Data Visualization Designer

I create interactive data visualizations, maps, dashboards, data-art and infographics. Specialized in climate data and geo-information.

Work

Climate Neighborhood Dashboard: interactive climate risk explorer for the Climate Effect Atlas.

Drought Visualization: data storytelling about the drought chain in the Netherlands.

Pontkomt: realtime ferry departure app built with SvelteKit and Capacitor.

Unseen Heat: interactive climate storytelling about extreme heat scenarios.

Experience

Data Visualization Designer at Climate Adaptation Services (2019–present). MSc Artificial Intelligence, University of Amsterdam.

Contact

Email: hello@danieldatadesign.com