Near Future Laboratory
2009 08 Blog Archive
An Apparatus for Capturing Other Points of View
Aug 10, 2009
The apparatus consists of a very tall pole which is used to gain a unique, portable vantage point to see the world. Two wide field of view cameras are used to capture video from the full height. The video is then processed to highlight specific features of the world below, mostly such things as the movement of people and the movement strategies. Individuals are highlighted using video processing algorithms to accentuate the flow of urban life. The motivation for this project is the noted urbanist, William H. Whyte, who wrote an important, short monograph that went along with a film, both called The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces.
Design ApparatusDesign SketchDesign StudyDesign TechniquesInstrumentsMomentumObservationPacePublic SpaceSlowSocial Life of Small Urban SpacesSpeedSurveillanceUrban DesignVisualizationWilliam H. Whyte