The Geography of Buzz: Visualizing Cultural Space in New York and Los Angeles
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
6:30 pm
Elizabeth Currid (University of Southern California, School of Policy, Planning, and
Development) and Sarah Williams (Columbia University, GSAPP) took a unique dataset, the
Getty Im... Read more
The Geography of Buzz: Visualizing Cultural Space in New York and Los Angeles
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
6:30 pm
Elizabeth Currid (University of Southern California, School of Policy, Planning, and
Development) and Sarah Williams (Columbia University, GSAPP) took a unique dataset, the
Getty Image Database, and transformed it to explain the spatial patterns of cultural
industries. By geo-referencing, coding, and performing statistical analysis on 6,000
events and 300,000 photographs taken in New York and Los Angeles, the team has shown that
cultural industry events tend to cluster spatially. While the data might illustrate what
we already know—that certain “hot spots” in the city exist—investigating them in this way
allowed them to gain a better understanding of why clustering occurs in certain
localities.
Analysis of the data showed that those actors not conventionally involved in city
development (paparazzi, marketers, media) have unintentionally played a significant role
in city development. They also argue that the findings on the cultural industries may
tell us something important about the geographical form of industrial social clustering
more generally. The use of Getty data provides a new spatial dimension through which to
understand both cultural industries and city geographical patterns.
To launch this exhibit, Currid and Williams have organized an opening and panel
discussion, featuring:
-Erin Aigner, Graphics Editor, New York Times
-Elizabeth Currid, USC School of Policy, Planning and Development
-Harvey Molotch, NYU, Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis, Sociology
-Jamin Brophy Warren, Wall Street Journal
-Sarah Williams, Director, Spatial Information Design Lab, Columbia University GSAPP
Sponsored by IZZE Sparkling Juice and Original Sin Hard Cider
The exhibit will be on display from April 7 – May 8, 2009.
Studio-X
180 Varick Street, Suite 1610
Between King and Charleton Streets
1 train to Houston Street
Free and open to the public
RSVP: gdb2106@columbia.edu
[Studio-X is a downtown studio for experimental design and research run by the Graduate
School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation of Columbia University.]
