http://whatsthehubbub.nl/blog/2010/02/kars-alfrink-speaking-at-raumschiffer-de-in-hamburg/ physical, social games for public space Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:10:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://whatsthehubbub.nl/blog/2010/02/kars-alfrink-speaking-at-raumschiffer-de-in-hamburg/#comment-19 Kars Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:42:26 +0000 http://whatsthehubbub.nl/?p=310#comment-19 <p>Ah yes, wayfinding remains a tricky thing. Check out <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=_phRPWsSpAgC&lpg=PP1&dq=image%20of%20the%20city&pg=PA4#v=onepage&q=completely%20lost&f=false" rel="nofollow">this passage from Kevin Lynch's <em>Image of the City</em></a> to put your experience in perspective!</p> Ah yes, wayfinding remains a tricky thing. Check out this passage from Kevin Lynch’s Image of the City to put your experience in perspective!

]]> http://whatsthehubbub.nl/blog/2010/02/kars-alfrink-speaking-at-raumschiffer-de-in-hamburg/#comment-17 mprove@acm.org Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:34:31 +0000 http://whatsthehubbub.nl/?p=310#comment-17 <p>Once upon a time a friend and I were cycling through the Netherlands. When we tried to get out of Amsterdam something strange happened. (Yes, this is a very short story about urban play). We could not get out of the city. No way! We passed the same house at least three times before we noticed that we did not make any progress in terms of getting closer to our destination, the border of Amsterdam, and then on to Edam and Gouda. What's going on here? We paused. Went into a restaurant to think about the situation, ordered a coffee and a hot chocolate. It dawned to us, that our mental map of the city was out of synch with the reality. Amsterdam's street architecture is not rectangular like Manhattan's. It just locally seems to be. But when you are cycling and turn 4 times to the left you do not look into the same direction as before. Even though if you turn left - right - left - right, your new direction has only something to do with the direction you were heading before you started moving. The city becomes a labyrinth if the mental map does not match the physical. Well, we finally solved the riddle and made it to Edam, Gouda, Gent, Cap Gris Nez and Paris. I'm sure that Wifi and navigation systems would have helped us – but we had more fun the way we experienced Amsterdam.</p> Once upon a time a friend and I were cycling through the Netherlands. When we tried to get out of Amsterdam something strange happened. (Yes, this is a very short story about urban play). We could not get out of the city. No way! We passed the same house at least three times before we noticed that we did not make any progress in terms of getting closer to our destination, the border of Amsterdam, and then on to Edam and Gouda. What’s going on here? We paused. Went into a restaurant to think about the situation, ordered a coffee and a hot chocolate. It dawned to us, that our mental map of the city was out of synch with the reality. Amsterdam’s street architecture is not rectangular like Manhattan’s. It just locally seems to be. But when you are cycling and turn 4 times to the left you do not look into the same direction as before. Even though if you turn left – right – left – right, your new direction has only something to do with the direction you were heading before you started moving. The city becomes a labyrinth if the mental map does not match the physical. Well, we finally solved the riddle and made it to Edam, Gouda, Gent, Cap Gris Nez and Paris. I’m sure that Wifi and navigation systems would have helped us – but we had more fun the way we experienced Amsterdam.

]]> http://whatsthehubbub.nl/blog/2010/02/kars-alfrink-speaking-at-raumschiffer-de-in-hamburg/#comment-16 Kars Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:45:17 +0000 http://whatsthehubbub.nl/?p=310#comment-16 <p>Amsterdam, Utrecht, what's the difference, right? Thanks for fixing that, Matthias. And thanks for being so perceptive, Marrije!</p> Amsterdam, Utrecht, what’s the difference, right? Thanks for fixing that, Matthias. And thanks for being so perceptive, Marrije!

]]> http://whatsthehubbub.nl/blog/2010/02/kars-alfrink-speaking-at-raumschiffer-de-in-hamburg/#comment-15 mprove@acm.org Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:31:17 +0000 http://whatsthehubbub.nl/?p=310#comment-15 <p>ok, Utrecht, fixed. :) Looking forward to your talk!</p> ok, Utrecht, fixed. :) Looking forward to your talk!

]]> http://whatsthehubbub.nl/blog/2010/02/kars-alfrink-speaking-at-raumschiffer-de-in-hamburg/#comment-14 Marrije Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:04:03 +0000 http://whatsthehubbub.nl/?p=310#comment-14 <p>Ooh, sounds interesting! But the Raumschiff people seem to think you are from Amsterdam :-)</p> Ooh, sounds interesting! But the Raumschiff people seem to think you are from Amsterdam :-)

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