Blog & Writing
Technical writing on GeoAI, spatial data science, open-source tools, and geospatial research.
All Posts 21 posts
2026
28 Apr
H3 Hierarchy and Compaction: Multi-Resolution Spatial Analysis Learn how H3's hierarchical structure enables multi-resolution analysis, how parent-child relationships work across resolution levels, and how the compactCells and uncompactCells functions reduce redundant spatial representations. Includes interactive browser demos and practical code examples.
25 Apr H3 GridsSpatial ComputingJavaScriptMapping & Visualization
H3 Catchment Analysis: Modelling Service Areas with Hexagonal Grids Learn how to use H3's gridDisk, gridRing, and gridDistance functions to model service areas, accessibility zones, and multi-source catchment overlap. Includes interactive browser-based demos with step-by-step code.
22 Apr H3 GridsSpatial ComputingJavaScriptMapping & Visualization
H3 Density Mapping: Visualising Urban Point Data as Hexagonal Heatmaps Learn how to aggregate point data into hexagonal density maps using H3 and Leaflet. This tutorial covers spatial binning, choropleth colouring, power-scaled colour ramps, and interactive multi-resolution analysis — all running in the browser.
15 Apr H3 GridsSpatial ComputingJavaScriptMapping & Visualization
What Do Large Language Models Know About Place? A reflective piece on how large language models represent place: the difference between spatial and platial knowledge, what LLMs do well (cultural associations, character, narrative), what they get wrong (boundaries, recency, under-represented places), and how to build applications that use this capability honestly.
15 Mar LLMAIPlace TheorySpatial Computing
DuckDB as an In-Process Spatial Analytics Engine A practical guide to using DuckDB's spatial extension for geospatial analysis. Covers installing the extension, running ST_Within and ST_Distance queries over large Parquet datasets, integrating with Python and the broader data ecosystem, and comparing the approach to traditional spatial database setups.
22 Feb DuckDBSQLSpatial ComputingAnalytics
Introducing GEON: A Semantic Format for LLM-Native Spatial Intelligence GEON (Geospatial Experience-Oriented Notation) is a preprint introducing a new text-based format for encoding places with semantic richness: identity, geometry, purpose, experiential qualities, spatial relationships, and temporal patterns. Evaluated against GeoJSON, GEON achieves 20% fewer tokens while encoding 31% more semantic facts per token.
19 Feb GEONLLMsGeospatial DataSpatial Intelligence
Cloud-Native Geospatial: GeoParquet, COGs, and STAC An introduction to the cloud-native geospatial stack: GeoParquet for vector data, Cloud Optimized GeoTIFFs (COGs) for raster data, and the SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog (STAC) specification for discovery. Covers practical Python examples using rio-cogeo, pystac-client, and geopandas with GeoParquet.
14 Feb Cloud-Native GeospatialGISSpatial ComputingData Engineering
Introducing Islamica: A Digital Ramadan Assistant Islamica is a free Progressive Web App with prayer tracking, fasting logs, Qur'an reading progress, and educational modules for daily Islamic practice. All data stored locally for privacy.
12 Feb Islamic AppsRamadanWeb DevelopmentPWA
Spatial ETL Pipelines with GeoPandas and Shapely A practical guide to building spatial ETL (extract, transform, load) pipelines using GeoPandas and Shapely. Covers reading and writing spatial formats, geometry validation and repair, coordinate reference system management, spatial joins, and outputting clean data to PostGIS or GeoParquet.
07 Feb PythonGeoPandasShapelyGIS
Chora: The First Python Library for Place-Based Computing Introducing Chora, the first Python library to model the human experience of place. Built on rigorous theory from GIScience, cognitive geography, and social physics, Chora provides tools for processing GPS traces, detecting routines, mapping emotions, and understanding places as lived experiences rather than coordinate pairs.
05 Feb ChoraPythonPyPIGIS
Spatial Narrative: A Rust Library for Spatiotemporal Event Analysis Spatial Narrative is a high-performance Rust library for modelling, indexing, and analysing events that unfold across geographic space and chronological time. Built for researchers, digital humanists, and data scientists, it provides spatial indexing, movement analysis, named entity recognition, and multi-format I/O.
Spatial NarrativeRustcrates.ioSpatiotemporal
2025
05 Oct
PlaceAgents: Modelling Multi-Stop Pedestrian Itineraries as Platial Flows PlaceAgents is an open-source framework for simulating platial pedestrian flows in urban environments. Using OpenStreetMap data, H3 spatial indexing, and interpretable routing algorithms, it models how people chain together sequences of places for errands, work, and leisure.
03 Oct PlaceAgentsAgent-Based ModellingOpenStreetMapH3 Grids
PlaceCrafter: Curating Urban Functional Regions through Platial Clustering PlaceCrafter is a web-based platform that enables researchers to identify meaningful urban regions through clustering OpenStreetMap Points of Interest. Built with React, Leaflet, and D3.js, it provides interactive clustering, statistical validation, and platial visualisation of how cities are actually used.
16 Sept PlaceCrafterOpenStreetMapUrban AnalyticsGIS
Reflection on the Leisure Walking Systems Working Group Impact Project A comprehensive reflection on a three-month Horizon CDT Impact Grant project that delivered industry-ready resources for leisure walking systems, exploring achievements, challenges, and broader implications for academic-industry collaboration.
14 Sept Walking SystemsResearch ImpactPlace Theory
Diabetes Disparities in Mexico: A Spatio-Temporal and Marginalization Index Analysis An overview of our W2GIS 2025 paper analysing diabetes-related hospitalisations and deaths in Mexico from 2005–2022, using the marginalization index to understand how social inequalities shape health outcomes.
14 Sept Health GeographySpatial ComputingUrban Analytics
OS³: Open Source Security Studio - Launching A Hands-On Cybersecurity Teaching Platform Explore OS³: an open teaching platform with modular labs covering SQLi, XSS, CSRF, SSRF, access control, cryptography, logging, monitoring, and network defence. Ideal for higher education, professional upskilling, and community workshops.
13 Sept CybersecurityTeachingOpen SourcePython
Platial vs Spatial: Why the Distinction Matters An extended reflection on the difference between the spatial and the platial, why it matters for data, design, and everyday life, and how embracing both can transform how we map the world.
02 Sept Place TheorySpatial ComputingMapping & Visualization
Platial Atlas: Mapping How People Experience Places Discover how the Platial Atlas project proposes capturing and representing places as they are lived and perceived by communities, using the PlaceCrafter framework to move beyond conventional geographic boundaries.
16 Aug PlaceCrafterPlace TheoryGISMapping & Visualization
Getting Started with H3: The Hexagonal Grid System for Spatial Analysis This hands-on tutorial introduces H3, Uber's open-source hexagonal grid system that's transforming spatial analysis. Learn why hexagons outperform traditional grids, set up H3 in JavaScript, and build interactive mapping applications with step-by-step code examples.
03 Aug H3 GridsSpatial ComputingJavaScriptMapping & Visualization
Why 'Placing Code' Matters This manifesto-style post introduces the concept of 'placing code' - software development that respects geography, culture, and context. Drawing from research in Geographic Information Science and platial information systems, it argues for technology that serves human spatial relationships rather than replacing them.
Place TheoryGISWeb Development