01 February 2014

Visual research = looking for ideas

Pedestrian mapping seemed like it might be a relevant avenue of research for the museum-labyrinth ... but why? As I looked at the images available on this topic it quickly became clear that my hunch was way off base - this is a field that is far more technical (or outraged!) than anything I need in this project. However a few images seen in the quick scroll-through did raise a few thoughts.

First this map-glove, made for the 1851 Great Exhibition and never commercially produced -

Detours and crossings - characteristics of certain categories of mazes - and potentially dangerous in real life -
Obstruction, re-routing

Public footpath across the Huddersfield-Manchester main line
A quieter crossing
Marked street crossings - these bring to mind the almost-subliminal way that people are directed around shops by the use of different kinds of flooring -

aha, that could be relevant ... either for taking the idea further, or for validating my thinking so far. The maze on the ground, the walking-maze ... which also directs the walker's path. Thoughts about "commercial pilgrimmage" in department stores, malls, etc.

Somewhere I have photos of the green line that leads from Old St station to Moorfields Eye Hospital ... I love the way it's so definitive and goes over different surfaces and all sorts of disruptions in the pavement. This is not part of it! -
Photo by Gordon Joly
Don't forget signposts -

1 comment:

Sandy said...

Interesting thoughts. Perhaps you can find out why you have to be directed through the perfume when you go to some stores. By the time I get through I couldn't shop anyway because I can't breathe and need my inhaler.

Even in one terminal at Gatwick when we went to Guernsey. We couldn't find a way to get to the area we needed to be in without going through perfume.
Oh yeah, that has nothing to do with museums either. But there are things to be said about intentionally putting stuff in your 'way' so you have to look at them.
Sandy