Exploring the Role of Data-supported Social Interaction manifested through Public Displays

This paper presents the early findings of studies in the role of data informing the interaction between the user, public and public display. It focuses on exploring how different strategies amplify and stimulate these datasupported interactions. Building on the work by Tomisch et al (13), we establish a taxonomy for databased features under the category of key elements in urban visualisations: 1) addressed topics, 2) input technologies, and 3) visualisation output. We analyse how these factors facilitate social interactions meaningfully through case studies of previous projects developed and implemented by Media Architecture research community. We suggest that data properties and manifestation play a significant role in 1) sustaining attraction to passers-by 2) enriching public understandings of display, and 3) encouraging diverse participation

From Raw Data to Meaningful Information: A Representational Approach to Cadastral Databases in Relation to Urban Planning

Digesting the data hose that cities are constantly producing is complex; data is usually structured with different criteria, which makes comparative analysis of multiple cities challenging. However, the publicly available data from the Spanish cadaster contains urban information in a documented format with common semantics for the whole territory, which makes these analyses possible. This paper uses the information about the 3D geometry of buildings, their use and their year of construction, stored in cadastral databases, to study the relation between the built environment (what the city is) and the urban plan (what the city wants to become), translating the concepts of the cadastral data into the semantics of the urban plan. Different representation techniques to better understand the city from the pedestrians’ point of view and to communicate this information more effectively are also discussed.Postprint (published version

Urban visualisation: the role of situated technology interventions in facilitating engagement with local topics

Advances in computing have enabled the deployment of technology in public settings such as high streets, squares, and parks. The role such community technology can play in engaging and connecting people in the urban environment has become of increasing interest in recent years, amid widespread concerns that cities are becoming less socially connected. Till date, however, many of the studies have focused on displaying games, photos, and other entertainment content on public screens, with the aim of bringing people together through play. Less is known about the use of publicly situated installations as a tool for encouraging people to view the perspectives of others and to share their personal perceptions. This thesis explores the use of situated public input technology and visualisations, collectively coined urban visualisation interventions, as a means of fostering community engagement. People's responses to and interactions with different topics, input devices, and visualisations were studied in a series of in-the-wild deployments in residential neighbourhoods and at events. In addition to the presentation of the design and evaluation of these deployments, this thesis presents an urban visualisation framework that outlines the key design and contextual factors that affect engagement, such as: the impact of the visualisation's update frequency on sustaining the community's interest, the influence of the input mechanism on the contribution quality, and the importance of positioning to ensure participation by a diversity of people