Abstract
In the sixteenth century, not everyone could own a map. Therefore, the first maps were honored for the prestige they conferred to their owners rather than for their orientation tasks. And today posts, tweets, and list of photos rely on maps. While focusing on the directions for a pinned location, unknown person, vehicle that is about to be used… the whole perception of the city gets lost. This paper adopts a case study approach, examining Google Maps. While using a map app, the world may seem like it’s more at hand. Instagram worthy destinations may look like they are a few slides away. But the city loses its importance. The targets, the ultimate destinations are more important than the things that make a city different from others. The interface would be the same on a phone while looking for a café in Paris or Istanbul or New York. If the smartphone user is focusing on the right corner to turn without elevating his head up from the device, the landmarks, the people, the buildings in between… all get lost. This study aims to reveal how digital maps transform the perception of the city. And conclude by answering these fundamental questions: What are risks of abstracting ourselves from the city running from target to target via digital maps? How much can we get a notion of the city we are living while using digital maps? Is the city even perceived as a real place?
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
City, Digital maps, Perception of reality, Perception of the city
Digital Media
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