I?ll never forget my first trip to Chicago. Nineteen years old and studying architectural history at the University of Toronto, I planned to see as much architecture as I possibly could.
It started with a boat tour through the city. As I sat on a damp bench and flipped through my paper map, a tour guide pointed out landmarks like the Willis Tower and Wrigley Building. The next day, I hopped a bus to the suburbs and embarked on a walking tour of Oak Park. The tour, which involved a flimsy headset and a monotone, pre-recorded narrative, began in Frank Lloyd Wright?s home and studio before leading me along the neighbourhood?s streets, where Wright designed numerous houses.
I can?t help but wonder how my architectural experience would differ had I visited Chicago for the first time today. With the development of mobile technology, there are a growing number of ways to explore, interact with, and experience architecture. Here?s a selection of digital tools that go beyond traditional guided tours, offering new paths for engaging with architecture.
Charge your phone
Today, there is a mobile application for just about anything?apps that can help you learn a new language, keep track of your fitness goals, even find your lost car in a busy parking lot. In the world of architecture and design, mobile apps help users experience their surrounding built environment in unique and valuable ways.
Portrait Sonore, an independent, non-profit organization, has developed a series of ?pocket do...