Chora: The First Python Library for Place-Based Computing
Model place as experience, not just location
Unlike standard GIS which asks 'What is at coordinates X,Y?', Chora asks 'Why does this park feel like Home to Alice, but Danger to Bob?' Place isn't a polygon—it's an emergent phenomenon arising from memory, habit, emotion, and social interaction.
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Reflection on the Leisure Walking Systems Working Group Impact Project
Bridging academic research with practical industry applications in place-based walking systems
The Leisure Walking Systems Working Group (LWSWG) impact project represents a significant milestone in bridging academic research with practical industry applications in the domain of place-based walking systems.
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Platial vs Spatial: Why the Distinction Matters
Rethinking how we describe the world through lived experience and coordinates
Digital maps are dominated by the spatial: coordinates, polygons, and networks. Yet when we talk about the world around us, we rarely think in such precise terms. We think in places. This distinction between the platial and the spatial is more than semantics—it changes how we represent, analyse, and live with geography.
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Platial Atlas: Mapping How People Experience Places
A global research project redefining place through lived experience rather than coordinates
Traditional maps often delineate our world with rigid lines and boundaries, yet these divisions seldom reflect the nuanced ways individuals experience and interact with their environments. The Platial Atlas project seeks to bridge this gap.
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Why 'Placing Code' Matters
A manifesto for place-aware software development and spatial computing
Most navigation apps don't know where you really want to go. This opening post explores why we need code that understands the difference between space and place, and introduces the philosophy behind jwilliams.science.
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