Food Culture

Collecting food data will show how many restaurants exit for each distinctive culture. Perhaps this can be compared in a ratio to the population of Auckland. Is there a consistency ie. 20% Malaysian = 20% Malaysian population in Auckland.....most likley this correlation is not 1:1.

Auckland from google maps

Auckland at a glance from googlemaps. Places of activity are shown but the experience is not. Is there a way to go beyond just pinpointing a location?

Food map research

Mapping the hidden.

Taco Truck Lover Maps His Favorite Eateries Online
by Cyrus Farivar

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89990576

"steers people toward smaller, harder-to-find eateries" current trend of maps.

Fast food in Kansas city. On the left chockfull of outlets, on the right nothing!
Starbucks locations in US as of June 2008

Images sourced from http://www.caffeinemaps.com/ and http://www.fastfoodmaps.com/

Project proposal: Food & Mapping

Food is an important part of culture, Apple Pie - America, Fish and Chips - New Zealand, Sushi - Japan and the list goes on.

I propose to look at Auckland through my stomach. I propose to map out the eating places in Auckland and categorise them in as many ways as possible to see if a pattern emerges. After all supply and demand go hand in hand and whatever pattern emerges out of this will tell tales of the population that demands it! I don't know where this project will go but this is step one.

Step one: map out food places
Step two: analyse
Step three: conclusion leads to an intervention?









image source: ww.isrealli.org

International AUCKLAND

Auckland, is set apart from other cities in NZ, because it is the gateway into NZ...or gatekeeper for NZ. Either way it is deemed an international city....

Undoubtedly, there would be a wide variety of ethnicities here. Can I map them? What sort of pattern would emerge?

What constitutes an ethnicity? Language, religion and food. If mapped for the city of Auckland, what would emerge? A dominance of one over another? More importantly, is this the pattern that I am seeking or just a pattern that is convenient to uncover...am still wondering what patterns there are that will see Auckland in a new light.



(Image from complex.city.online.fr/?cat=3)

Orchid Fractal Analysis

How do crowds move?

The pattern they fall into is called OrchidFractal Analysis where people naturally form a swirling orchid pattern. It is part of human behaviour. It might be be interesting tosee how crowds in Auckland behave? Another avenue.

I'm still not sure so am exploring what I can do to discover patterns in Auckland.

http://www.geocities.com/Omegaman_UK/crowd2.html

A clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWdDXRUJLY0

Saw this clip on youtube. Don't know how to add it in the blog.
This clip is of a guy strking the columns then bars on his walk alongside the building. The repetitive nature of the sounds allows one to see the walk without having to look at the clip. Repetition or patterns in the city do not have to be physical but also audio...which opens up a world of possibilities if the other senses were to be considered.

My Project - emerging

I went around Auckland today, between the showers of rain, to take a few photos. I wanted to start exploring what I might do as my project. With the idea of memories in mind and the story of the mark on a wall by Calvino, I at first tried to capture images with memories inherent in them.








THEN I abandoned it because I realised that I was starting to take pictures that interested me.


It was then that I realised what I wanted to do. Much like the Berlin book cited earlier, I'm interested in the patterns in the city. These patterns can be static or momentary, repetitive or recurring. I'm going to explore this idea further and see what I can do with it.

ONE idea is to draw the patterns out of the city or instigate pattern making (eg. looking at the patterns of pedestrians and altering them.)

My memories

I grew up in Mount Maunganui and rarely went to Auckland. In looking back to my early memories of Auckland, only two are strong.

One is the image of Auckland University. I remember a big white gate. I don't think this ever existed on campus. It might be just a figment of my imagination that I have over the years elaborated with images from my experience.

Memories exist in a sphere of real experience and an infinite imagination.

The other memory is of large tree roots. Don't remember the tree, but remember climbing over the roots. This memory is also blurry. Though I feel as if it relates to Auckland, but it may have been acquired elsewhere. Memories may not attach itself to a place, it can be for many places.

Memory

Prout's MadelineMemories are triggered, sometimes by the most random acts. Auckland is full of these triggers, what can I do to activate these triggers?

Berlin

I came across a small book that documents Berlin. Called CITY LANGUAGE BERLIN by Chistopher Mangler.
Here are some images from the book.



I came across a small book that documents Berlin. Called CITY LANGUAGE BERLIN by Chistopher Mangler.
Here are some images from the book.

I think it is facinating how one element is repeated differently throughout the city. The constants hidden in the city only now has been teased out by these photos.