This is part of Anothony Townsend’s vision of the future which I spotted this at the slightly wierd, but visually arresting, angermann2:

The rapid convergence of mobile communications, automated positioning technologies, and geographic information systems (GIS) into “locative media” is raising the possibility of a dramatic transformation of the way we perceive and move about the urban environment, and how we interact with each other in urban spaces. Endless possibilities for locative media are being proposed that promise increased convenience, awareness, transparency, and access to information and social opportunities that break traditional power structures.

locative media will also extend our awareness of the urban condition and give urban planners the kind of real-time data that climatologists and astronomers already use to understand their own complex systems. Thus locative media could very well drive a fundamental shift in our awareness of how cities function as collective organisms

The picture comes from Peter Merholz’s post entitiled Metadata for the Masses which is think addreses the some of same issue, although he does it in the context of classification systems on the internet.

The common thread is that they are both out to understand how technology and it’s relationship to space. Anothony Townsend focusing on physical space, while Peter Merholz grapples with electronic space. Here’s some of what Merholz had to say

In looking for a real-world analog, I thought of the foot-worn paths that appear in a landscape over time. Called “desire lines,” these trails demonstrate how a landscape’s users choose to move, which is often not on the paved paths. A smart landscape designer will let wanderers create paths through use, and then pave the emerging walkways, ensuring optimal utility.

Both agree that it’s still too early to say in which direction the shift will take us. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see….

Oh, angermann2 has a lot more information about architecture, urban planning and technology.