Map applications have a fundamental tension: the map is the product, but tools have to live somewhere. On Hub, that tension had reached a breaking point: tools were scattered without a clear organizational logic, the basemap switcher was buried, navigation controls competed with content for space, and users had no way to customize the interface to match their preferences for a workspace. The underlying capability was strong; the interface just didn't reflect it.

The redesign started with a simple principle: organize tools by intent, not implementation. The result is a layout where every zone has a job. Search lives at the top left, persistent and unobtrusive. The Tool Workbench sits top-center, grouping everything used to add information and insight over the map: AOI creation, annotations, drawing tools. Navigation controls stay bottom-right, out of the way until needed. The left sidebar handles service access, segmented by data type. Nothing is hidden, but nothing competes with the map either.

The details reinforce the logic throughout. The basemap switcher borrows directly from Google Earth's mental model, because the fastest path to familiarity is the one people already know. The Workspace Settings panel provide users with options to customize their workspace, such as toggling individual navigation elements on or off and choosing their unit system and coordinate format. Equally important was the project creation flow: rather than pulling users out of the map to configure a new project, a side panel reveals a quick form with name, description, AOI, and users and role assignment, all while the map stays live behind it. In a tool where the map is the work, the design had to earn its place on screen.