Case study:
Data City: Integration and visualisation of spatial and socio-economic
data in an urban context
Evaluation and reflection
The aim of the case study was to devise
an urban model capable of displaying large quantities of complex data
on the city in an easily understandable and interactive visual format.
The model devised in this exercise is successful
in some areas and not in others.
The main weakness of the exercise is that
the size of the urban area studied is small and homogeneous so that the
differences between values in any one data set are relatively small. Thus
the results displayed are not as visible as would be the case in a large-scale
study encompassing areas of diverse socio-economic composition.
In spite of the limitations described above
it seems to us that the potential of this type of model for displaying
data is apparent in two areas:
First, its capacity to display data associated
to the place in which it originates. The usual ways in which socio-economic
data is displayed is abstract and does not associate the data to its location
origins. The model we have developed can thus display more richer and
complex information in a way which is simple to visualise.
Second, the way in which the model displays
socio-economic data is much closer to peoples' personal experience of
the city, thus it is a good vehicle with which to involve a broad spectrum
of the population in informed decision-making about city processes.
Comments from Master Architecture student
participants
The Data City project was an interesting
learning experience for us and allowed experimentation in a wide area
of visualisation techniques. The idea of transforming numbers and text
(data sets) into form was a very challenging task, similar, for some of
us, to the method architects use to design buildings. Especially the combinations
of different data sets display notable results in matter of forms, colours
and complexity.
As a teaching project the Data City case
study gave us the opportunity to expand our knowledge in the fields of
CAD and 3D visualisation and it was an opportunity for discussion in subjects
related to urban planning and urban development.
