Open Source City: Mobile Technology in the Public Realm

Abstract

Mobile technology has become ubiquitous and is reshaping the city. The built environment has a key role in the success of public spaces and the richness of public interaction. However, technology works separately, from outside the built environment, fostering online interaction often at the expense of public interaction. Architecture that shapes both the modes of urban walking and the use of technology in the city can tie the two together to unify online and public interaction in the digital age. This thesis serves as a prototype for future projects that integrate architecture and technology to improve the public realm.