[Mobile_Living_Units]

Prologue

This project embarks on an exploration of urban data mining, mobile architecture, and narrative articulation within level design practices. It responds to the urgent challenge of addressing mobility and migration in contemporary urban landscapes by developing a design system that strategically positions habitation units throughout Edinburgh based on behavioral data. The project unfolds in two distinct phases: Data Analytics and Design.

Locative Data — Data Citizenship

In today’s dynamic urban environment, we engage with the concept of Autonomous Decentred Systems (ADS), where the ubiquity of smartphones and layered social, political, and cultural networks transform each citizen into an active participant embedded within virtual networks. The initial phase of the project focuses on locative social activities, employing APIs to mine data from social networks. By layering and mapping this data, we reveal the often-invisible footprints of urban life, offering a fresh representation of the city through the lens of its engaged inhabitants.

Building on these social media-derived map layers, the next step involves identifying potential "gap-sites"—underutilized or leftover urban spaces suitable for habitation—through immersive data collection using devices such as Google Glass and GoPro. This process uncovers tangible sites within the city that can support innovative housing solutions. The data gathered here lays the groundwork for the design phase, which involves digitally mapping and positioning the habitation units.

Background

Rooted in the Metabolism architectural movement, this project draws inspiration from seminal works like Kisho Kurokawa’s Nagakin Capsule Tower (1972). This iconic structure sought to reconnect citizens with the built environment by encapsulating mobility, migration, and urban dynamism through a system of modular habitation pods.

The visionary ideas of Archigram further inform our approach, injecting provocative spatial concepts into urban design. As Cj Lim, a leading thinker in smart cities and architectural narratives, eloquently states: “Cities are alive. They breathe, they grow, they spawn, they die, and they dream.”

Contemporary dialogues on habitation echo through architectural competitions such as Evolo, which emphasize cutting-edge technologies, data-driven approaches, and innovative design thinking for the 21st-century city. These platforms invite visionary stories and proposals that shape the future urban experience.

The Narrative

In the second phase of the project, attention shifts to crafting mood boards, storyboards, and narrative frameworks. Here, data from the initial analytic phase is woven together with the lived reality of Edinburgh to generate compelling narratives. By employing techniques borrowed from game design, the project overlays alternative realities onto the city’s actual imagery, creating immersive speculative scenarios that engage with real-world urban challenges.