Time-Occupancy Map: line height indicate amount of time spent in each GPS coordinate

In the age of data our developed capabilities as a society to break various phenomena and activities down to data that can be recorded and stored offers a unique opportunity to better understand urban anthropogenic patterns. However, our ability to navigate, make connections and interpret the data to see these patterns still relies heavily on the function of the visual cortex- the part of our brain responsible for processing visual information. In later years, Data Visualization has emerged as a professional field and sometimes even an art form as it deals with the sourcing, contextualization and visualization of large datasets, tailored around the visual cortex’s ability to process information.

Occupancy Map: line intensity and height indicate occupational patterns

As an exercise, IaaC students during the month of January 2016 individually recorded their movements throughout the city on a daily basis using running and biking apps such as RunKeeper and Strava.  The compiled data was uploaded to a shared folder where each student could access and download the data and finally visualize it according to a specific topic. The maps presented here aim at contextualizing and visualizing both the movement and occupational patterns throughout the city of Barcelona during the month of January 2016.

Collective Stalk – Barcelona Data Visualization is a project of IaaC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed at Master in Advanced Architecture in 2016 by:
Students: Peter Geelmuyden Magnus
Faculty: Luis Fraguada, Rodrigo Aguirre