Week 1 Readings

Atmosphere InFormed: Design Awareness of Small-scale Differences of Atmosphere in Architecture and Urban Design

This article gave a really interesting insight into case study examples of how architects (and landscape architects) can use sensors to inform design decisions. I especially appreciated the Hudson Valley residential case study as it showed how we often have perceived experiences of a place (such as humid in the summer; foliage in the fall), which then we can confirm/negate through sensor data. I also thought it was interesting how plantings in an urban square can both impact passive cooling and air quality; this is a topic I am interested in further exploring in our class.

Data dimension: accessing urban data and making it accessible

I have often wondered about the high volume of data we collect as a society, and if it is really useful, or just metrics. This article explored different ways that data collection has been helpful to society. The WikiCity study showed that data collection could provide users alternative transportation options if there was a huge traffic jam or emergent situation. This seems like a huge advantage. Another example, such as the communication connections between Scotland, Wales and England, shows how the separation of the UK might impact these different territories differently from a social standpoint. It is really intriguing how data can help inform not only local decisions, but geo-political decisions as well.