This article struck my attention for a number of different reasons. First, urban planning has always interested me. I always wondered who decided to put streets, buildings, and sidewalks where they existed. Growing up in Chicago, I have been extremely familiar with the grid plan. Chicago consists of one big grid, easy to navigate and understand. Cosgrove explains that "the grid generates the simplest and most ubiquitous form of urban planning". This I think is very true, and although it is simple, I think it is very effective. When I would try to navigate in suburbs, I would often get confused with the constant circles and turns in much of the housing districts. In my ancient Greek art class this semester, we studied urban planning, and the way that the ancient Greeks constructed their cities. Before 350 BCE, there was much disorganization in the way a city was constructed, but started in Priene in 350 BCE, the grid plan emerged and is still used today.
I also found interested the notion that a city map can have two functions, that of helping people navigate through a city, but it also hinders the way in which the city is viewed. With the intent to help people in a city, maps can sometimes do the complete opposite. It cannot be denied that maps are necessary in a large city, but they also guide an individual's gaze in one very specific way. I thought this quote from the reading was thought-provoking, "cartography acts not merely to record the various ways that the city is materially present, but as a creative intervention in urban space, shaping both the physical city and the urban life experienced and performed there." This is true in that it does shape the city and what it has to offer, but again in one specific way.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Territorial Play: Illini Union Food Court: Questions
1. What are the borders of your territory? And how are they defined/marked/known?
The borders of the food court are the basement of the Illini Union. They are defined by walls of the space. Also, they are defined by the restaurants lining the walls of the space.
2. What kinds of interactions between people and the site are there? Are there objects or architectures that govern how the site is/can be used?
The interactions between the food court and people are mainly informal. A place to sit and eat and relax, maybe between classes or to meet friends. Chairs and tables take up most of the room in the space, outside of walking space. The site is meant to be used as a place to find food, and then be seated. Not much walking around, unless it is to buy food, throw out garbage, or come and go. There is a juxtaposition between the large quantity of seating space, and then the transit space; Individuals with backpacks are coming and going, while others are seated and eating.
3. What kinds of interactions/encounters between people are there? (is it competitive, collaborative, monetary, familiar, etc?)
The interactions between people are familiar, in that they know the space and are socializing in groups. Monetary encounters occur within the space, people are purchasing food,therefore there is an exchange of money between patrons and restaurant workers.
4. Are there distinct roles that people play within the territory?
The roles seen within the space are mostly students using the space for leisure. Some professors are seen in the space, also workers behind the counters of the restaurant.
5. What rules seem to govern these interactions? And how are the rules known? (Are they implicit or explicit)
I think the seating arrangement governs much of the activity within the space, and therefore are explicit for whoever uses the space. Another rule would be to pay for the food provided in the food court. Again, this would be explicit because the food would not be received until payment.
The borders of the food court are the basement of the Illini Union. They are defined by walls of the space. Also, they are defined by the restaurants lining the walls of the space.
2. What kinds of interactions between people and the site are there? Are there objects or architectures that govern how the site is/can be used?
The interactions between the food court and people are mainly informal. A place to sit and eat and relax, maybe between classes or to meet friends. Chairs and tables take up most of the room in the space, outside of walking space. The site is meant to be used as a place to find food, and then be seated. Not much walking around, unless it is to buy food, throw out garbage, or come and go. There is a juxtaposition between the large quantity of seating space, and then the transit space; Individuals with backpacks are coming and going, while others are seated and eating.
3. What kinds of interactions/encounters between people are there? (is it competitive, collaborative, monetary, familiar, etc?)
The interactions between people are familiar, in that they know the space and are socializing in groups. Monetary encounters occur within the space, people are purchasing food,therefore there is an exchange of money between patrons and restaurant workers.
4. Are there distinct roles that people play within the territory?
The roles seen within the space are mostly students using the space for leisure. Some professors are seen in the space, also workers behind the counters of the restaurant.
5. What rules seem to govern these interactions? And how are the rules known? (Are they implicit or explicit)
I think the seating arrangement governs much of the activity within the space, and therefore are explicit for whoever uses the space. Another rule would be to pay for the food provided in the food court. Again, this would be explicit because the food would not be received until payment.
Delany's Introduction to Territory
Delany's discussion on territories is interesting in that it opened my eyes to all the territories that jurisdict the way in which our world operates. There are territories that separate countries, states, cities, towns, blocks, houses,rooms,etc. Much of how we live our lives is by abiding or violating territories. I really like how he started the reading with, "Nothing better reveals how something is supposed to work than when it isn't working." This is very true, and it was thought provoking how he used that quote to describe the ongoing Iraq War, and even more examples of war in the past. So much of how the world functions is through establishing territories, and using them for a sense of security. Within the walls of the territory are the "us", and outside are the "them". With these attitudes, separate cultural and social perceptions are developed. Or even within the territory of one's own room ,one can create their own norms within their own space. Shifts in territorial space, such as my own apartment becoming accessible to the public, or spaces in public, like the quad, become privatized would drastically change the way in which society conducts itself.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Locative Media: Assignment 3 Questions
• What new problem will you be trying to solve?
We are trying to solve the problem of new students not knowing their way around campus.
• Why is this interesting or valuable as a problem?
It is valuable as a problem because it makes it hard for new students to adjust to campus and begin classes on a good note.
• Who is your audience?
The audience is the new students/transfers or anyone who wants to use it (if they have a net ID and password and is connected with UIUC).
• What form of information will you be storing, retrieving, and why this form?
The form of information we're storing will be comments in text format and images. This form (images and text) allows for quick processing and will allow the user to recognize the location when seeing the image and reading the text from the app.
• Answer at least four of the Formal Considerations questions above.
Our device will be used through an application made available on Iphones, or other phones that utilize apps. The act of storage and retrival will be voluntary. The information stored can only be accessed by students at the University of Illinois. It is intended for giving advice to incoming freshman and transfer students, but all students can access this app by signing in with their NetID and password. The design of this device is intended for routine use, and always will be available with the same information. The act of storing and retrieving will not be obvious to others, and is really meant for personal use. The nature of this device is meant to be a friendly and helpful environment.
• Design 3 personas and scenarios based on your answers above.
1) A freshman walks around campus trying to find the building for his first class. He reads his schedule and is unsure where Altgeld Hall is. He points (?) the app at his dorm building and it displays it on the app. He sees comments that students have left about it. He then types in Altgeld Hall and the app creates directions on how to get there from his current spot, while pointing our interesting landmarks on the way (which includes comments from other students).
2) A group of new students are looking for a place to eat. They walk around campus and end up in front of Za's. Unsure how the food is, they type in Za's (or scan the place with their device/app). It immediately brings up comments and images from other students who have eaten there before. They can now make an informed decision of whether to eat here or go somewhere else.
3) A group of graduate students are looking for a more mature bar scene than Campustown offers. They walk around downtown Champaign in search of a place to hang out. They come across Jupiters...not knowing what its like they scan it with the device/app (or type in the name) and immediately see, based on the other users' comments, that Jupiters is the kind of place they want to hang out at. They then leave their own comments after leaving to help other users make an informed decision.
We are trying to solve the problem of new students not knowing their way around campus.
• Why is this interesting or valuable as a problem?
It is valuable as a problem because it makes it hard for new students to adjust to campus and begin classes on a good note.
• Who is your audience?
The audience is the new students/transfers or anyone who wants to use it (if they have a net ID and password and is connected with UIUC).
• What form of information will you be storing, retrieving, and why this form?
The form of information we're storing will be comments in text format and images. This form (images and text) allows for quick processing and will allow the user to recognize the location when seeing the image and reading the text from the app.
• Answer at least four of the Formal Considerations questions above.
Our device will be used through an application made available on Iphones, or other phones that utilize apps. The act of storage and retrival will be voluntary. The information stored can only be accessed by students at the University of Illinois. It is intended for giving advice to incoming freshman and transfer students, but all students can access this app by signing in with their NetID and password. The design of this device is intended for routine use, and always will be available with the same information. The act of storing and retrieving will not be obvious to others, and is really meant for personal use. The nature of this device is meant to be a friendly and helpful environment.
• Design 3 personas and scenarios based on your answers above.
1) A freshman walks around campus trying to find the building for his first class. He reads his schedule and is unsure where Altgeld Hall is. He points (?) the app at his dorm building and it displays it on the app. He sees comments that students have left about it. He then types in Altgeld Hall and the app creates directions on how to get there from his current spot, while pointing our interesting landmarks on the way (which includes comments from other students).
2) A group of new students are looking for a place to eat. They walk around campus and end up in front of Za's. Unsure how the food is, they type in Za's (or scan the place with their device/app). It immediately brings up comments and images from other students who have eaten there before. They can now make an informed decision of whether to eat here or go somewhere else.
3) A group of graduate students are looking for a more mature bar scene than Campustown offers. They walk around downtown Champaign in search of a place to hang out. They come across Jupiters...not knowing what its like they scan it with the device/app (or type in the name) and immediately see, based on the other users' comments, that Jupiters is the kind of place they want to hang out at. They then leave their own comments after leaving to help other users make an informed decision.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The Anti-Sublime Ideal in Data Art Response
What i find interesting about this article is the discussion of dimensions, and how information can be presented in different dimensions- and that designers have to determine which ones to use. Choices made by designers are often criticized by the consuming public because of who and what is represented in these dimensions.
Another thought provoking point to this article is that new media is a way in which we re-map old media. It renovates the way analog objects operate, and open new doors for artists and designers to expand their abilities. A simple example would be creating or manipulating a static image in Photoshop, and importing it into AfterEffects to combine it with time and other dimensions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
