Friday Eye Candy: 'You Are Here' Maps the Little Things

The Social Computing Group and the MIT Media Lab have launched the "You Are Here" project, mapping data points from cities where participants have lived. The project has colorful maps of bicycle crashes, coffee shops, and permanent visa applications.

1 minute read

May 2, 2014, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Every day since the end of March, the You Are Here project has released a new, data-rich map of different cities around the country. On April 30, for instance, the project published a map showing "Queens Bicycle Crashes." On April 26, the map was "Chicago Permanent Visas." On April 17—"Washington DC Street Greenery."

The project is an obvious delight for map lovers—especially map lovers who appreciate the power found at the confluence of data and geography. The mission of the project, as described by the about page of the You Are Here website, is to connect the at-scale manifestations of cities and the personal moments of the experience of the city: "Each of these maps will be an aggregation of thousands of microstories, tracing the narratives of our collective experience. We will make maps of the little things that make up life — from the trees we hug, to the places where we crashed our bikes, to the benches where we fell in love."

Thursday, May 1, 2014 in You Are Here

courses user

As someone new to the planning field, Planetizen has been the perfect host guiding me into planning and our complex modern challenges. Corey D, Transportation Planner

As someone new to the planning field, Planetizen has been the perfect host guiding me into planning and our complex modern challenges.

Corey D, Transportation Planner

Ready to give your planning career a boost?

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

Seattle Legalizes Co-Living

A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.

December 1, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Times Square in New York City empty during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project

Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.

December 1, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

Broken, uneven sidewalk being damaged by large tree roots in Los Angeles, California.

The City of Broken Sidewalks

Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?

December 5, 2024 - Donald Shoup

Large homes with large yards in suburban cul-de-sac near Atlanta, Georgia.

Commentary: Minimum Lot Sizes Drive Up Housing Costs

How making residential building requirements more flexible can ease the housing crisis and make neighborhoods more livable for more households.

45 minutes ago - Strong Towns

cars

Study: Automobile Dependency Reduces Life Satisfaction

Automobile dependency has negative implications for wellbeing. This academic study finds that relying on a car for more than 50 percent of out-of-home travel is associated with significant reductions in life satisfaction.

December 10 - Science Direct

Yellow San Diego Unified School District school bus.

San Diego School District Could Accelerate Workforce Housing Program

A proposal to build housing on five district-owned properties could yield 1,000 housing units for low- and moderate-income district employees.

December 10 - Governing

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.