Community Topographies


Community Topographies Christian Marc Schmidt, with Maki Tsuchiya Launch applet >		Branded communities, in their attempt to formalize sense of place, are not only the latest chapter in the ongoing narrative of the ideal or utopian city; they are also the outcome of a changing relationship between identity and community Community is fundamentally a reflexive concept: just as identity is a product of community, communities are a product of identity. Communities shape who we are, and in turn, we shape them. However, with the increasingly mobilized nature of populations and work comes a shift in the role of location. We are now more enabled and, therefore, more inclined to choose our communities from the standpoint of how they might inform not only our lifestyle, but, furthermore, our sense of self. This visualization of 12 new communities around the world seeks to address the question: How is identity expressed in the design of the branded communities appearing in or adjacent to cities around the world?

Borneo Sporenburg \| map >	Tübingen-Südstadt \| map >	Hammarby Sjöstad \| map >	Rive Gauche \| map >
BedZed \| map >	Poundbury \| map >	Garrison Woods \| map >	KB Home Twin Lakes \| map >
Serrenia \| map >	The Palm Jumeirah \| map >	Cambridge Water Town \| map >	Roppongi Hills \| map >


This visualization is based on data derived from the various communities, including total area, residential area, number of residents, dwelling density, average and maximum stories. The color is derived from three factors with an influence on brand-identity: Sustainability, status, and security. These factors were subjectively assigned, based on research conducted for each of the communities. By juxtaposing these hard and soft data, Community Topographies attempts to express the true identity of a community, and expose potential conflicts between image and reality in the process.		Christian Marc Schmidt is a multi-disciplinary designer and media artist. His experience spans a diverse range of design disciplines, including editorial, environmental and interaction design, as well as media installation and service design. His interest in working with information has lead him to an analytic approach that is decidedly parametric and content-oriented. Christian studied economics in Frankfurt, Germany, before moving to the US in 1999, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Parsons School of Design in New York, and a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale University School of Art.

© Copyright 2007 Christian Marc Schmidt and Maki Tsuchiya. All rights reserved. Built with Processing


Community Topographies Christian Marc Schmidt, with Maki Tsuchiya Launch applet >		Branded communities, in their attempt to formalize sense of place, are not only the latest chapter in the ongoing narrative of the ideal or utopian city; they are also the outcome of a changing relationship between identity and community Community is fundamentally a reflexive concept: just as identity is a product of community, communities are a product of identity. Communities shape who we are, and in turn, we shape them. However, with the increasingly mobilized nature of populations and work comes a shift in the role of location. We are now more enabled and, therefore, more inclined to choose our communities from the standpoint of how they might inform not only our lifestyle, but, furthermore, our sense of self. This visualization of 12 new communities around the world seeks to address the question: How is identity expressed in the design of the branded communities appearing in or adjacent to cities around the world?

Borneo Sporenburg \| map >	Tübingen-Südstadt \| map >	Hammarby Sjöstad \| map >	Rive Gauche \| map >
BedZed \| map >	Poundbury \| map >	Garrison Woods \| map >	KB Home Twin Lakes \| map >
Serrenia \| map >	The Palm Jumeirah \| map >	Cambridge Water Town \| map >	Roppongi Hills \| map >


This visualization is based on data derived from the various communities, including total area, residential area, number of residents, dwelling density, average and maximum stories. The color is derived from three factors with an influence on brand-identity: Sustainability, status, and security. These factors were subjectively assigned, based on research conducted for each of the communities. By juxtaposing these hard and soft data, Community Topographies attempts to express the true identity of a community, and expose potential conflicts between image and reality in the process.		Christian Marc Schmidt is a multi-disciplinary designer and media artist. His experience spans a diverse range of design disciplines, including editorial, environmental and interaction design, as well as media installation and service design. His interest in working with information has lead him to an analytic approach that is decidedly parametric and content-oriented. Christian studied economics in Frankfurt, Germany, before moving to the US in 1999, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Parsons School of Design in New York, and a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale University School of Art.

© Copyright 2007 Christian Marc Schmidt and Maki Tsuchiya. All rights reserved. Built with Processing