Developing apps for the digital world can teach us a lot about placemaking
Apps
Users
Places
Citizens
Users use apps, citizens inhabit places
Operating System
Apps
Operating System
Places
An operating system (OS) is the foundation for apps, and there is one for places
Users Citizens
Operating System!(Windows 95,
Mac System 7)
Apps!(Netscape, MacPaint)
Users
Operating System (Auto-Centric)
Places (Shopping Malls, Sprawl)
Citizens
Outdated OSes mean outdated apps, and outdated places
Operating System!(iOS, Android)
Apps
Users
Operating System (Pedestrian-Centric)
Places
Citizens
What happens when the OS is updated?
Operating System!(iOS, Android)
Apps!(Facebook, Maps)
Operating System (Pedestrian-Centric)
Places (Strøget, Temple Bar)
Updated OSes mean updated apps, as it is for places
Users Citizens
Operating System!(iOS, Android)
Killer Apps!(Facebook, Maps)
Operating System (Pedestrian-Centric)
Epic Places (Strøget, Temple Bar)
Game-changing apps are known as ‘killer apps’, and for places? ‘Epic places’.
Users Citizens
Operating System!(iOS, Android)
Killer Apps
Users
Killer apps and epic places don’t build themselves, you need developers
Killer Developer
Operating System!(Pedestrian-Centric)
Epic Places
Citizens
Epic Developer
Framework!(HTML5, Cocoa)
Killer Apps
Users
… and developers need a framework so their creations flow with the OS and other apps/places
Killer Developer
Operating System!(iOS, Android)
Framework!(Form-Based Code)
Epic Places
Citizens
Epic Developer
Operating System!(Smart Growth)
Framework!(HTML5, Cocoa)
Killer Apps
Users
With crowdsourced placemaking, change can start at the ‘top’…
Killer Developer
Operating System!(iOS, Android)
Framework!(Form-Based Code)
Epic Places
Epic Citizens
Epic Developer
Operating System!(Smart Growth)
Framework!(HTML5, Cocoa)
Killer Apps
Users
…with epic citizens defining and demanding, even crowdfunding epic places
Killer Developer
Operating System!(iOS, Android)
Framework!(Form-Based Code)
Epic Places
Epic Citizens
Epic Developer
Operating System!(Smart Growth)
Framework!(HTML5, Cocoa)
Killer Apps
Users
Killer Developer
Operating System!(iOS, Android)
Framework!(Form-Based Code)
Epic Places
Epic Citizens
Epic Developer
Operating System!(Smart Growth)
That attracts epic developers, and together they campaign for change down the line
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;!indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
Epic Citizens