Stitching the city together through data explorations

The 21st century is defined by the way we use digital technologies to collect, interpret and exploit data. There is a growing understanding that planning, designing and initiating successful developmental projects need to be grounded within the local context and its socio-spatial dynamics, which requires a much more fine-grained form of data collection and analysis than is currently found in statistical datasets. The objective of this research programme is firstly to develop a methodological framework and digital platform for the collection and sharing of meaningful and useful visual, place-based and human-based spatial, (quantitative and qualitative) data at a street- and precinct level, such as routinely collected by students in the spatial design disciplines; and secondly, to integrate and interpret such data within neighbourhood scale proxy models (e.g. digital twins) to assist stakeholders in a) identifying areas of development potential or problem hotspots where interventions would be most useful and sustainable, and b) providing time-line data for trend and network analysis. The flagship project in this field is the development of a digital twin for the Hatfield Development District