Dissertation

Introduction
A
cities according to the visual fantasies or dystopian
ccording to the safe cities index 2017, Karachi critiques of the digitalized citizen.
was voted the worlds most dangerous city. A me-
ga-city, considered to be a collision of cultures and Can architecture take social media as a source of in-
migrants, the disorder comes as expected(Malkani et spiration Can Karachi start hosting ephemeral pub-
al, 2015). A city, whose urban issues are not yet real- lic spaces just like the ephemerality of opinion that
ly explored in depth (Qureshi S, 2010). However, the is found online. Can public spaces be inspired by the
Karachi where I grew up tells a different story. What faux democracy(Iqani and Schroeder, 2015) of the
I would like to explore is, the role that social media virtual world.
can play in narrating a different reality of a city like Currently designers keep at an arms length from the
Karachi. public(Curbed, 2017) However, The way individuals
in different parts of the world interact with design is
While in University, How I am able to cling on to Ka- highly dependant on their external circumstances.
rachi, is through my own memory, and through imag- Explained in the diagram below.
es, articles, news, blogs and images friends and fam-
ily share online, on various social media platforms. “In the mega-cities of developing countries, usually
For this dissertation, I use Karachi as a case study,, with a complex socio-cultural structure, access to ur-
because it has a specific set of circumstances which ban amenities varies by distinct social groups and the Figure 1
are quite unique to itself. Karachi, is not yet digitally authorities are mostly responsible for the disparity”
mapped by western means of mapping such as google (Qureshi S, 2010)
earth, therefore Social media can be seen as a valid
window for assessing the value of narrative in the city Architecture is a profession, which millions of indi-
viduals experience on a daily basis. It is unfortunate,
an immediately applicable method of working, this is Eventhough, to truly assess the value of social media
Noticing and acknowledging the ubiquitous presence that in today’s connected world, the world of Archi- an exploratory paper that requires further work and posts, an algorithmic study of photo posts on the in-
of social media in our lives, it did not take long for the tects and designers is disconnected from the rest. further research. Perhaps this endeavour will open up ternet should be done. While this paper, assesses the
question to be formulated in my head. Why are we (Mehaffy and A. Salingaros, 2017). If we look at for means of inspiration for design value of social media posts for the sake of design. This
as social individuals not looking at our social media instance, the public outcry that revolved around The research should make a base for a visual, analytical
traces to reveal to us more about ourselves and our en- Frick Collection in the Summer of 2014, when it was study of social media posts to truly understand the re-
vironment? Why are architects and designers not uti- obliviously proposed to expand and replace a prized What this open-ended research hopes to discuss is sults and implications of what I propose.
lising this ocean of gathered information to provide garden in Manhattan. The social media uproar caused whether social media, predominantly Instagram, can
infrastructure of relevance to individuals? Can the the plan to be recalled, with a promise by the Frick be seen as tools to inspire design? Can social media
online image, be interpreted to imagine infrastructure Collection to propose something more empathetic to- start developing an understanding in the eyes of de-
in the physical world? wards the garden and the voices of the people (Kim-
signers and the public as a viable enough platform to
melman, 2017)
be taken seriously to voice their critique of the envi-
Current Data gathering mechanisms are labour inten- Social media, if used as an inspiration source for Ar- ronment, and so, it becomes a means of self organ-
sive and costly. The US Census cost $13 billion in 2010 chitecture can avoid such circumstances. When the ising and self developing our own physical environ-
(Tasse and Hong, 2014). These means of gathering public’s views are taken into consideration, empa- ment. Can Instagram help communities design their
Data come with operational redundancies. Contrast- thetic design can hopefully develop. Such an inclusive own spaces?
ing this with social media public posts, we can man- practice would not only be beneficial in monetary Understanding that Research about the impact of so-
age, investigate and extract data on a macro and micro terms, but also change key perception of Architecture cial media on place and design is still a rarity (Schwartz
scale (Schwartz and Halegoua, 2014). in the eyes of the common occupant of space.
and Halegoua, 2014). I hope this research is able to
add to anyone researching this field.
Data available can be used to utilise the critiques and The aim of this paper is to test out if there is value Furthermore, this research is a theoretic study of the
analysis, the likes and dislikes of social media users in making physical, the opinions represented on so- possibilities of using social media as a design tool, and
and translated into the real world as design. These on- cial media. This dissertation becomes an open-ended why it may be a valid means of assessing a city or an
line posts are more than glimpses or snapshots(Iqani study to explore the presence of social media data and Urban space.
and Schroeder, 2015).They can hopefully prove to be its use in Architecture as a profession further on in
valuable empirical research material to improve our the field of design. This research is not expected to be
What is a digital city formation side by side. Just like Invisible cities (Marc
A digital city can be considered a parallel to the activ- Schmidt and Xia, 2017), a digital city creates a virtual
ity that takes place in the real world (Marc Schmidt experience of understanding a city through narrative.
and Xia, 2017). An index which brings together mul- The digital city, i imagine, tries to seek the truths or
titudes of information together on a singular plane lies about the real city.
and from there encourages discussion surrounding
the real world. It can be considered a medium of cri- Perhaps, the digital city, is a theatre, of opinions and
tique of the Real world. moods, of stories and lies, about the self and the city.
The digital city might be one instagrammers diary and
Perhaps the Digital city can also be seen as a visualised everyone else’s headline. Consider Beyonce’s staged
Psychogeographic guide of a city (Coverley, 2012). A photo debuting her twins, currently is the single most
view of the city, through the eyes of an online flaneur, liked photo on Instagram with 10.2 million likes (Gra-
who is a man who saunters around observing socie- ham, 2017).
ty(dictionary). A digital city, an experience of the in-
visible city(Marc Schmidt and Xia, 2017) where nar- Photographs on social media form Digital litter(Spa-
ratives, truths and facts about the city exist. Elements tial Self). Our digital existence can contribute toward
that one would miss or overlook, when walking or this ephemeral layer. This soft, layer of the city exists
driving around the city. It is a perspective shift, where online and usually becomes the go-to version before
we start seeing the unseen and understated and the making decisions to go and explore the real city(Dor-
seen and stated all at once (Barkhaus et al, 2008). A rian, 2016).
micro and macro version of the city.

This is similar to the way a city is experience by an in-
dividual walking its streets. Is the digital city, a replica
of an experience on the street? but that would mean
trying to re-perform the theatrics of a city(Schwartz
and Halegoua, 2014). A digital city becomes more
than that, it is a collection of narratives and factual in-
Through the platforms of social media the digital city
is seen as a collective memory(Marc Schmidt and
Xia, 2017) of its citizens. The digital citiziens online
as their spatial selves express themselves as Nostalgics
and critics, as journalists and researchers, as trollers
and meme shareres. As Mei-Po Kwan notes, that these
‘digital expressions’(Marc Schmidt and Xia, 2017), (Figure) This re-appropriation of the Heritage faced How does one exist online? leaves digital traces which correspond with the urban
essentially do create ‘spatial stories’ (Ali Brendi et al, an outpour of negative commentary on Facebook, re- There are more cell phones that people in this world, environment. (Schwartz and Halegoua, 2014).
2000) of everyday life. They contribute to the road map sulting in a public jury for the project. (Ilyas, 2017) this allows and forces us to engage with the fact that
of the digital city. Their participation ends up forming this device is changing the way we perceive our envi- Posting online becomes a definitive means of under-
this fluid, everchanging, ephemeral digital city. Perhaps there is a realisation and an understanding ronment (Vitra Design Museum, 2016). The physical standing what it constitutes to be a free citizen using
that every casual post, edit and comment is a part of existence of an individual is very closely tied to the self-expression as a means of celebrating your free-
To understand the individuals who populate a digi- the thriving body of the Digital city, and when need digital presence of an individual. dom (Iqani and Schroeder, 2015) . On the other hand,
tal city, the term Spatial self forms a suitable lens to be to gather support. These posts become a part of a it can become a docile expression of what it means
discuss the dynamic narrative of any digital city. This greater narrative, for an outcry or a critique. Every in- When online, it’s like one develops an alter-ego. A per- to be a part of a larger corporate system of following
means of existing online, allows for the flourishing dividuals voice matters in the digital world. Perhaps formance of the self(Hochman and Manovich, 2013), what we see around us happening(SCI-Arc Media Ar-
of digital cities and ‘can help researchers uncover the our spatial selves are more valued that our real selves. which enables them to truly embrace the liquid form chive, 2016).
polysemic meaning of a physical space’(Schwartz and of the online world. For this reason, the spatial self, Digital media has allowed for the exposure of envi-
Halegoua, 2014).’ It can be said that the Digital city creates increasing seems an appropriate way of looking at an individu- ronments that were previously immunised from the
opportunities for urban planners, architects, social al’s presence, online. A digital citizen, who exists not public eye (Vitra Design Museum, 2016). The blurring
This collation of meta data found online can end up geographers, entrepreneurs, anthropologists and only for himself but for others. Where his physicality of public and private through the lens of social media
creating a web of augmented reality that every social many other disciplines to test and value the underly- is determined by his posts and pictures. His level of is also discussed by Beatriz Colomina, a professor at
media software user is constantly actively occupied ing patterns in cities, through this lens. These digital activity determines his lifestyle in the virtual world. Princeton University. Whilst discussing Architecture
in creating. This augmented reality should encourage cities may reveal something greater about cities than a To understand navigation through the digital city, or of new space and of new times, she defines the blurred
Architects to carry out active research, in order to un- census or mass surveys. the virtual world. The spatial self comes in. presence of individuals on social media. She clinical-
derstand the importance of the interaction between ly analyses pop culture references from Yoko Ono
the real and digital world, and its affects on each other. “Spatial self ”, a term coined by Schwartz and Halegoua and John Lennon’s month-long Bed In, to Edward
allows us to understand the existence of an individual Snowden’s revelation of NSA’s breach of privacy. She
However, the integration of social media into design whose online presence affects their actions in the real discusses how these instances were broadcasted from
may already be underway. Consider the Frick collec- world. These are the individuals who inhabit the dig- private spaces, specifically the bed, which is the most
tion project Callback, or the construction of a high ital city. The spatial self can be considered an identity, private area inside one home(Vitra Design Museum,
rise building within the skeleton frame work of an of an individual who is concerned with self-presenta- 2016). Claiming that the medium which allowed for
old age heritage building in the city centre of Karachi. tion in the digital realm, and due to that, constantly the blurring of private and public was social media.
We are able to recognize that the very act of existing
online itself starts blurring many physical bounderies.
As public and private space blurs, digital media allows
for a different view of the urban environment. Indi-
viduals critique and curate spaces around them, ref-
erencing the digital visual encyclopaedia available to
them in the form of social media. This way, the phone,
which is usually a means to access this imagery, be-
comes almost a bionic limb, assisting our movement
in the digital world
As we log in and scroll through, we are involved in
forming the collective memory of our cities(Marc
Schmidt and Xia, 2017). We derive the Visuals, and
landscapes from the real world and translate them
into the digital world.
Our existence online, becomes central to understand-
ing the digital city and its implications in the urban
environment.
The past of digital media in the Urban Space in someone else’s experiences, through the viewing of
The idea of connectivity in the physical world beyond other people’s post by clicking on shared hashtags and
ourselves was a concept that was already being dis- posts. Through our interaction, the infrastructure that
cussed by Artists and thinkers alike. From 1910-1914 is the memorabilia of Social media, warps and shifts.
Umberto Boccioni(MCQUIRE, 2008) mentions it in This is an infrastructure that is forever available to be
his work,In 1920, MoholyNagi(MCQUIRE, 2008), viewed, critiqued and experienced.
was discussing the dynamism of urban space through
his kinetic art. In 1973- Antonio Sant Elia(MCQUIRE, If we delve into The modern History of Social media,
2008), was imagining a transient,ephemeral urban we can see that there has only been a steady incline in
space, In 1991(MCQUIRE, 2008)- Marcus Novak was individual usage of digital media sharing platforms,
discussing Liquid Architecture as a field of stidu and from when mainstream channels became popular at
in 1998 Archigram was fantasizing about a technolog- the beginning of the 21st century. (Vitra Design Mu-
ical society(MCQUIRE, 2008). seum, 2016)
Beatriz Colomina highlights the increase of social
Experimenting and thinking of a world of connectiv- media networks from the beginning of the 21st cen-
ity was being explored by designers from long before tury. In 2002 Friendster came about. Facebook was
the advent of the internet. released to students in 2005, followed by Youtube,
The Videocommunicatore, by Ugo La Pietra, was an Twitter was released in 2006, Whatsapp in 2009, Ins-
experimental display at MOMA in 1971, which ena- tagram in 2010, followed by Tinder, Vimeo. Pinterest
bled a viewer to communicate with the past through and Snapchat, which is the latest mainstream social
projections, in a fixed space in the urban realm. Ugo media phenomenon(Vitra Design Museum, 2016).
La Pietra, who was an architect by profession, was a
critic of globalization. He was constantly juxtaposing Instagram in specific can be an important tool in in-
the self with the environment. He used his acquired forming the new age of Urban design, due to its pop-
digital skills to enable his audience to think critically ularity, where it gathers billions of images together in
about the widespread use of mass media and its effect one platform (Omnicoreagency.com, 2017). This al-
on the urban environment(The Museum of Modern lows researchers to view a whimsical, carefree aspect
Art, 2017). of Urban Space, or otherwise, by a passing individual.
(Hochman and Manovich, 2013).
In 1971 he wrote,
“This (Videocommunicator) triggers a process of ‘infor- Such a post can be packed with information for those
mation at the urban level, through the relationship be- who may require it for further research such as urban
tween an individual and another individual, based on a planners and architects. It almost forms a real time
theoretically unlimited progression… and for a greater critique of the environment. To be able to have access
awareness of the urban structure through the images to an index of organic evidence of human behaviour
and messages that each person wishes to communicate” patterns around the urban environment is something
(Toscano, 2017:278). quite new.
Instagram is a ‘spatio temporal’ tool that defines Web
He hints at the relationship an individual can have with 2.0 in its existence. As we move from messages to
an urban space, which is not limited to time or space. platforms to aggregations, we may discover places
Such a relationship echoes in the usage of social media through information that is organised by non hierar-
tools such as Instagram and Facebook, where we form chical real life biases(Hochman and Manovich, 2013).
a relation to a space beyond its physical existance.
When we post an image to our Instagram profiles, it It is vital to realise that Instagram only reflects the
becomes a part of our digital timelines, existing for lives of a fraction of society(Hochman and Manovich,
us and others to view forever. Furthermore, the hash- 2013). It takes into account the data of the individuals
tag increases relevance, to the Videocommunicatore. who chose to share photos on Instagram and specif-
Through our online posts We become active actors ically those people who chose to make their photos
available to be seen by public.
add photo of instagram public pages etc
How Narrative Makes a city experiences online. We all are authors of our own
spaces. (Iqani and Schroeder, 2015)
Narrative becomes a means of understanding a
city from ground up manner. Instagram becomes a “But selfies are not just the preserve of the elite, far
means of disseminating that narrative(Hochman and from it. In fact, selfies are perhaps best understood as a
Manovich, 2013). So, when it is stated earlier that if a ground-up phenomenon” (Iqani and Schroeder, 2015)
Digital city is able to reveal something more real, it is
the narrative of individuals as available data online, The irony of selfies and understanding ourselves
which can be visited and revisited in order to hold
more relevant and in-depth discussions about cities It is a strange irony, existing in todays technological
and places. world. Selfies have become a means of observing
Let’s start from the role of the selfie, a modern phe- the spaces around us (Iqani and Schroeder, 2015).
nomenon currently being used to define ourselves This might reflect that we have become more aware
and Urban places. Putting New York’s Highline and of ourselves and our surroundings. There is also an
London’s Millennium bridge into perspective, Kelner understanding that existing in the virtual realm is
quite appropriately defines how Monuments have be- taking away from our attentiveness in the real world.
come a locus of points of dissemination and a point This dichotomy, takes into account the holistic im-
of production of selfies(Friedman, 2017). pact of social media photography in our daily lives.
We can say we have become more aware of physi-
“These locales now play a double role, not simply as cal selves where our phone cameras act as mirrors,
environments to be experienced, but as elements in the alongside subconsciously developing the ability to
creation of new online identities and images. Moreover, critically analyse our environment through the lens
it is the image, with its mobility and increasing online of social media.
availability, rather than experience per se which seems However, there may seem to be a vanity to it all. A
to possess lasting currency.” (Friedman, 2017) superficial understanding of space for the sake of
embellishing our social media profiles. Where Social
media has distracted us from the real world, it may
The selfie culture feeds into a larger movement of have focused our aesthetic vision. We may scroll
understanding the self through the act of self-por- more and absorb less. Monumental sites become
traiture and understanding the politics of the self and visual exhibits for photographs. Urban spaces may
society (Murray, 2015). gather crowds but crowds who click, and not see.
As Iqani and Schroederr quote,
“The selfie is beyond narcissism, it also forms a “radi- “Meaning and identity have collapsed, he claims, pre-
cal forms of community building” (Murray, 2015) cisely due to technological advancements that deliver
pleasure, fulfilment, and distraction at the expense of
We understand our physical environment by defining any real agency.”
areas which are worthy of taking selfies in and pho-
tographs of (Friedman, 2017).Our selfies can become Understanding spaces through a social narrative
describers of spaces. This is when an individual’s
narration of a space can become a means of under- The 1955 Psychogeographic guide of Paris, forms an
standing a location. This is how social media plays interesting backdrop for the study of place through
out in understanding places and spaces in a different its social narrative. It allows us to imagine the possi-
light. We can trace spaces through the selfie, on the bilities of meta data, derived from geo-tagged pho-
internet. Like the famous record breaking selfie of El- tographs and how it can be used to reveal a different
len De Generes at the Oscars, became recognized as kind of a map of a city.(Coverley, 2012).
an act within a space. We recognise places through,
who had previously ‘checked-in’ at that spot. A new
narration of understanding spaces is derived because Psychogeography explains this phenomenon through
of the infiltration of social media in our daily lives. the categorisation of the urban walker into a mental
traveller, a flaneur and a stalker(Coverley, 2012).Can
Since the development of the smart phone we Under- we consider the street photographer and instagram-
stand the urban space through our existence within mer of today as the flaneur of yesterday?The explora-
the Digital realm. We record and produce our own tion of space through the act of wandering resonates
in routine of an avid instagrammer.
The way I would see psychogeography making its
way into the way social media mapping and geotag-
ging of places in the urban environment, is through
the ‘check in’ phenomenon. We create our own
narratives in spaces we explore through walking or
circulating around a city. These narratives are then
embedded and laid down on a map of our preferenc-
es, on social media, available for our acquaintances
and friends to analyse and accordingly make deci-
sions regarding their own activities and plans.
The narrative lens along with the lens of the phone
camera allows an individual to look beyond the
generic view they have of a city. They not only begin
to view and experience space, but because of social
media such as Instagram, they look at spaces for
what they mean to us and to others. We critique and
rate places for the benefit of others who might be vis-
iting those places later on(Hochman and Manovich,
2013).
Looking at places through narrative rather than fact,
becomes an understanding of a larger perspective
shift taking place. It can be traced historically, similar
to the shift from photographic realism to impres-
sionism(Hochman and Manovich, 2013). The need
to understand cities through narrative, according to
the trajectory of history of visualisation seems pre
determined.(Hochman and Manovich, 2013).
Understanding the popularity of Facebook as a social
media network in Pakistan, which has over 25 mil-
lion users estimated in 2016. There is much potential
for it acting as a medium for exchange and dialogue
on the design of the environment?
2.3% of Internet users in Asia are from Pakistan
(Internetworldstats.com, 2017), 19 percent of the 25
million Facebook users in Pakistan are in Karachi,
the largest city of the country (Qureshi, 2017). This
increase in usage has been up from the previous
year, with increasing 4G and 3G coverage throughout
the country (Qureshi, 2017). The trajectory of social
media, in a country like Pakistan, is upward facing.
Add photo?
Instagram to date has 40 Billion Photos uploaded
onto it (Aslam, 2017). Instagram in its existence is
a unique application. It creates a visual library of a
third place, looking beyond the idea of time, in its
interface. Imagery from different users, is held in a
seamless organisation, creating a new narrative, as
Instagram ignores publishing the time of post, and
the focus is emphasised on the place of post (Hoch-
man and Manovich, 2013).
Furthermore, Instagram has been chosen as a means
of focus for this research, because of the fact that it is
mainly a visual medium of exchange. In the ephem-
erality of social media, when trends die and new ones
resurrect within days, visuals have become more
impactful that text (SCI-Arc Media Archive, 2016).
Considering the irresistable lure of social media, it
is not surprising that the number of users is ever
increasing. Instagram, boasts 700 million monthly
active users worldwide, with Celebrities, Politicians,
Architects, Artists and Designers, all using this medi-
um of visual exchange to inspire and learn from one
another. The image has become the most valuable
and important thing for striking curiosity. Instagram,
is also one of the most popular social media net-
works in Pakistan, There are 3.9 million active Insta-
gram users in Pakistan (Pas.org.pk, 2017). Instagram
has become a primary source to visually, check-in
with the world, with 80 million photos uploaded a
daily basis (Pas.org.pk, 2017). Using geo-tagged posts
on Instagram, a deeper relationship with places can
be established. We can now understand what certain
places mean to certain kinds of people, according to
the activities that they chose to post about in certain
locations. Individuals, can then start influencing,
others’ view of places(Cranshaw, 2012).
Where Instagram as described by Lev Manovich et
al, ‘creatively place(s) together old and new – local and
global – parts and wholes’(Hochman and Manovich,
2013)’ This way of looking at places, introduces an
‘authentic’ look on a place(Hochman and Manovich,
2013). It challenges the top-down view that maps
boast with their general description of places.
In Karachi, for example Facebook groups form a
window for viewing the urban environment, through
the digital. It is a very clear cut and definitive window
into assessing and understanding the happenings of
the urban environment, online. This for example be-
comes a blurred line of contact between the real city
and the digital city. Where the individuals are acting
as their spatial selves and regular citizens at the same
time.
Understanding ourselves in the digital world makes
us question the physicality of the space of the digital
city.
Liquid Architecture as the Architecture of the digital
city

Perhaps, a Liquid architecture is the architecture of
the digital city. As ‘A Magna Carter for the Knowl-
edge Age’ declares,
‘The central even of the 20th century is the overthrow
of matter’
The abandonment of the physical space in favour of
a ubiquitous liquid city, was perhaps eminent. Either
that, or we start valuing the existence of the liquid
digital city, and start bringing it to life in our physical
environment.
(Put link of my painting with dancing street kid here)
This lucid perception of architecture hints on flex-
ibility of the form of the infrastructure of such an
architecture and how expression on the internet can
lead to collosal changes in the strucutre.
The individual is celebrated in these liquid cities.
Each opinion and value is responsible for shaping
the urban landscape of liquid cities. This allows us
to think of public space derived by social media, and
inspired by social media as spaces of duality. We can
imagine public spaces where the individual and the
collective are celebrated. The Digital and the real, can
perhaps intiate very interesting conversations about ‘You will be able to buld a building in light so you
Architecture and society. can walk around and change it’ Stephen Coons 1968
(Benjamin 2003:52; Coons in Negroponte 1970:35)
(Add photo of tentative project)

The digital city is being seized in time, time and time

again. Freezing the expressions and emotions of its add marcus novak cyber space architecture photo
citizens through their expression on social media.
These images of cities are becoming a part of this
ever growing memorabilia of a city, authored by its
citizens. Such information is extremely precious, and
revelatory about a people in a certain time, and this is
what forms the liquid architecture of the digital city.

Markus Novak, builds on the work of Sant’ Elia,

Constant and Friedman(MCQUIRE, 2008) to discuss
the ephemerality of liquid architecture, An architec-
ture that responds to will and desire.

He describes Liquid architecture to be a space which

defends and reveals, protects and exposes and warps
and expands all at the same time. The ephemerality
of the physicality of Liquid Architecture is well de-
scribed by this quote

“Liquid Architecture makes liquid cities. cities that

change at the shift of value. Where visitors with
different backgrounds see different landmarks, where
neighbourhoods vary with ideas held in common and
evolve as the ideas mature and desolve” (Dodge and
Kitchin, 2001:251)

‘
 Chapter 2
there is a Value in
Counter mapping
Karachi
Understanding Karachi’s classification as the most
unsafe city in the world, allows a resident to guage
at their home city with a different view. (Safe Cities
2017, 2017). This outward image of the city, is trans-
lated through traces that are found in the digital city.
However, the city, I know as Karachi translates to
me as something else. My intention has been to see
the value of looking at Karachi, through narration,
as I hope to assess how sifting through social media
meta-data, can prove to be worthwhile in discovering
a different understanding of Karachi. Rather than
relying on the top down, mainstream map-view of
the city that is seen otherwise.
to see Urban space as represented on social media,
as a part of a larger fabric(Hochman and Manovich,
2013). A neighbourhood in a city cannot be seen
without considering the city it is situated in(Schwartz
and Halegoua, 2014).
Before the advent of social media, it was seemingly
difficult to analyse and even gauge collectively at the
colossal element of things. Now as there is a visual
landscape to scroll and swipe through, new ways
of looking at society, urban space and the self have
emerged.

However, what is interesting is the irony. The means
of dissemination of the repute of Karachi, remains
to be the internet. The city I hope to understand
through the process of counter-mapped narration is
the image, that will also be placed on the Internet.
This article, floating in the desert of the internet, is
partially responsible for the reputation of Karachi
within the world of the Internet.
Considering the internet being an ocean of informa-
tion, this narration might become a counter mapping
test exercise for other objects on the internet as well.
The narration of a city, through photos found on
Instagram can either validate the general rhetoric
represented via the factual information such as the
Safe cities Index, or These facts can assist in a in the
formation of the rhetoric of the digital city. Perhaps,
in the future, credible photo narrations counter-ar-
gue the view of larger mainstream instituitions, like
the instituition that manages the results presented in
the Safe cities index 2017.
The assumption that all photo posts on instagram
and Facebook are of a carefree nature, would also be
incorrect. I treat the theoretic nature of these posts
as empirical feedback for my research, rather than
necessarily the algorithmic assessments of the posts.
That is something that can be a step taken forward
from this dissertation. This is done to assess whether
or not it is worthwhile to test, If the photos on social
media could reveal with their existence something
true or truer in their nature, about the places they
represent or about the city in focus within the frame
of the photo.

My initial quest was, trying to discover a hidden

truth about Karachi. A reality within social media
platforms, mainly Instagram, which may not be rep-
resented on a map, or on other sources information
available online. To test out whether design extracted
from social media photo posts, can be considered vi-
able. To hope to Juxtapose the micro and the macro,
just like a digital city

As established earlier social media photo posts,

because of their whimsical nature do in essence,
produce a new narrative. Social media posts have
created an opportunity of exploring the minute
against the backdrop of the gargantuan. When we
see social media posts in the light of Holism, which
is an understanding that the intimate cannot exist in
independence of its whole, or vice versa. It allows us
Upon looking up #Karachi on Instagram there ‘A situation made possible because of its explosive growth, the unequal disjunctive flows of capital, and the
was a realisation of the limitations associated with limited functionality of space’ – (Malkani et al., 2015)
first hand evidence for this research. This would be
because of the multiple private instagram accounts,
not allowing public access to photos. This act itself
perhaps reflects the divided social nature of the city,
where people only want to be viewed by who they
will. The select nature of sharing photographs allows
for the drawing of transparent bounderies.

(add screenshot)

Embedded within a legion of ever increasing photos,

mostly advertisements of products. I came across
models adorned in Pakistani bridal wear and mul-
titudes of photos of sandals and purses. Within this
web of consumerism, were scattered glimpses of
recognisable reality. Photos of a street corner in a
familiar looking neighbourhood of Karachi. Hiding
behind the army of memes and more models were
some candid shots of individuals posing on disinte-
grating rooftops against the musky karachi skyline,
made of lego-esque, compartmentalised pakistani
vernacular townhouses. 1)The official Web Portal of the Karachi Metropolitan
Cooperation
(add photo) 2)collated journal exhausted geographies
3)The PCCC Website and interview)An Interview of
the on ground reality provided by The Founder of the
Pakistan Chowk Cultural Centre
5)Self taken photographs of the city, from my ex-
perience of the city: Street photography becomes a
Upon searching Karachi on google, the first few sites narrative experimentation of the city of Karachi.
that I come across are Wikitravel, and facebook. Ul-
timately proving that there is a restricted representa-
tion of the city upon first glance in the absence of
google street view.

Google street view exists as a reality for us today, a

form of validating the truths of place and site. Trav-
ellers use it to justify hotel locations and real estate
moguls use it to gauge property value.(Dorrian,
2015)
In the absence of Google earth in Karachi, a differ-
ent understanding of reality has to be developed. To
analyse and validate the value of Social media in Ka-
rachi, I would need to understand Karachi through
various self determined lenses. I describe them as the
base conditions of the city. They are as follows
2.1The Karachi Metropolitan Coorporation website
becomes the first point of reference in the absence
of Google street view, in determining an online focal
point to understand the state’s point of view of the city.
The Website gives a strange, but personally relatable
description of the city that I am familiar with. It is all
encompassing narration of multi-scale elements that
constitute the forming of Karachi, as a city.
The KMC Website, quite bizarrely produces an image
of the city, through its description. It contains infor-
mation regarding the history of the city, before the
Partition of the Sub-Continent, breezes through, im-
portant Architectural and cultural monuments in Ka-
rachi and their significance. Labels by name a handful
of reputed educational institutions scattered around
the city and lists multiple shopping malls and bazaars
throughout the city. It however, does justice to what a
base line understanding of a city like Karachi could be
for the sake of this research.
On a macro scale, it allows us to gauge at the geo-
graphical vastness of the city by providing us with
relevant figures about Karachi’s size, which is 3530
square km(Kmc.gos.pk, 2017). It also well summates
the importance of Karachi as a cultural and economic
hub of Pakistan, by laying out figures about the per-
centage of GDP produced by Karachi for Pakistan.
Such a base line puts into perspective, the digital ex-
istence of Karachi and creates an interesting juxtapo-
sition of the two states of the city of Karachi
Upon clicking the visitors tab on the KMC Website,
one is provided with an Index like information about
the districts of the city, alongside names of the neigh-
bourhoods in those districts and the social strata of
the population that exists within those neighbour-
hoods. This description is immensely helpful in un-
derstanding the geographic disparity of a city like
Karachi, where neighbourhoods represent socio eco-
nomic status.
As a base understanding of Karachi as a city is taking
shape, we can now start looking at how relevant a so-
cial media use and analysis is and how well it repre-
sents a side of a city that may go unseen in all the facts
and the figures.
——— zahra malkani displaced map
Why Karachi should be counter mapped
In order to truly understand a city like Karachi, one
must Map Karachi in the light of its past, its present,
its ills and its charms. Only then can a creative, and
critically substantiated window to understand the
city emerge. This dissertation remains to be a test,
determined by the factors established as appropriate
to take forward the conversation about Social Media’s
presence in design in Karachi.
No city is an objective reality. A megacity like Kara-
chi, made up of 20+ million individuals, definitely
not so(Malkani et al, 2015). It is composed of voices
silenced by authorites, whispers augmented without
reason and shrills haunt the cities as they witness the
injustice that takes place(Malkani et al, 2015) (Zahra
malkani map). A city’s reality, is not something that
should be looked as it seems. Each story, each nar-
ration opens up streams of emotions experienced by
the people of the city. For, example, the map above
shows all those people kidnapped and murdered in
Karachi from ...... It is one thing, looking at a place
from a genealogical view point, or tracing the his-
toric lineage of a city. But when one is looking at a
city, as an objective reality, as a means of it informing
further investigation, or further action. We need to
put into perspective, the truths that make that city.
Mapping Politics in/of the Modern City: Cartography
as Representation by Dr Nausheen Anwer is one of
the Seven Part essay series, titled Exhausted Geogra-
phies. These essays are a critique on the cliched un-
derstanding of how Karachi, a complex and dynamic
city is represented. These essays, quite poetically take
their starting point, a stagnant point of exhaustion,a
map. Considering it the bane of a urban researchers’
existance, they shine a light on what it means to un-
derstand a city beyond what is represented on a map.
The authors of these essays are Artists, architects,
historians, urban planners, anthropologists and
geographers, all having resided in the city at all or
certain points in their lives. They come together to
view the city as a layered assemblage rather than a
city reduced to a two dimensional drawing on a sheet
of paper.
Drawing inspiration from Kevin Lynch’s term cog-
nitive mapping, we note an intimate relationship
between the city’s physicality and its memory image.
This leads to the creation of a ‘Cognitive map’
Orangi Town Pilot project Counter map
A Cognitive map is like the throbbing image of a city
deduced through its winding routes rather than an
aerial image of it. It is the map that is experienced by
its residents. A form of representation that forms a
critique to the otherwise ‘top-down modernist rep-
resentations of the city’ (Malkani et al., 2015)
It is a map based on individual views, narrations and
perceptions of the city. A map constantly question-
ing its own form through the dynamic involvement
of the resident of the city. A map which is altered at
each passing moment, a map which breathes with the
city, and experiences the changing seasons of the city,
with the city and its residents.
These resident-active maps may reveal secrets about
the city. Considering these views would be alien to a
state sponsored view, is what could make this nar-
ration, revelationary. They can reveal the socio-eco-
nomic disparity between neighbourhoods and also at
times can become mediums of exposing injustices of
the state, through the narration of stories and tales.
There is always a subjective understanding of each
location a citizen of a certain city has visited. An
understanding of a city that is shaped by ones expe-
riences in a certain place. Narrative understanding
of place, perhaps holds as much value as any other
objective understanding of a place . In today’s world,
As Airbnb introduces ‘Experience Hosts,’ they are
reshaping travel, by understanding the value of nar-
ration. (Airbnb.com, 2017)
(add picture of Airbnb experience host)
This further adds to the idea that a city map repre-
senting roads and links, landmarks and monuments
is as relevant as a psycho geographers map or the
ever transforming map of a liquid city. Perhaps, the
Instagram account of a Karachiite is as valid as the
Google map of Karachi, to understand the city.
In order to understand Karachi, as the atypical,
complex city that it is, narrative becomes an essential
perspective in viewing the city.
add the maps above here
Challenging the authority of Cartography.
Cartography can be considered a dividing force to
demarcate land to fulfil the states desires of con-
trol(Anwer, 2015). Similar to the way Pakistan came
into existence, where the Radcliffe line drawn out by
Sir Cyril Radcliffe , alien to the land and its people,
brutally split the land of Punjab into two, between
India and Pakistan. (Khan, 2017)
This is a commentary on How physical space encour-
Dr Nausheen Anwer critically analysis the authority ages the development of an online persona of the self
of cartographers in representing a space. By labelling or the spatial self.
map making as a political process, rather than as a
purely technical one, it becomes understood that rep-
resenting a dynamic politico-enconomic landscape, What if we provide a template for individuals to
is not something appropriately done through a static create their own counter maps from their own narra-
map, and it can be better represented as something tions of the city
more ephemeral, ever-changing and hyper.
Not only are we a part of a constantly changing -------------------------
world, but we are also hyper-informed about the
changes taking place, because of the internet.(Vitra What I have attempted to do, is to juxtapose micro
Design Museum, 2016). This causes our understand- and macro narratives with my case study as Karachi.
ing of our environment to be ever changing as well. By re inacting the narration of the digital city
No more can we ascribe or understand something through my own photos, I try and test out whether
according to certain fixed ideals. We are constantly there is value in the essential question of this disser-
being inspired and coming up to new conclusions tation. Which is gauging the value of social media
and forming new opinions (SCI-Arc Media Archive, photo posts as empirical research data in the field of
2016). This hyper reality that we exist in calls for a architecture.
new definition of Urban space as well. It calls for the
Urban environment to respond to or hyper informed
needs. Perhaps, urban space as a static, still, monu-
mental, solid physical space is no longer an appropri-
ate ground for catering to individuals of the modern
age.
State sponsored mapping of a city, give rise to vari-
ous, counter mapping narrations on an urban level,
these are usually undertaken by NGOs that oppose
the states autocratic version of territorial placement
and ownership(Malkani et al, 2015). These strategies
hold the state accountable for by providing a counter
narrative. For example, NGO Orangi Pilot Project
(displayed in map 2) in Karachi(Anwer 2015). This
counter mapping strategy records and illustrates
the settlers claims of land, claims that would not be
recorded by the state. It takes into account, property
claims of the poor(Anwer 2015).
It can then perhaps be said that Social media, insta-
gram in particular, can in the future, take this role of
providing a counter narrative, to expose a different
narration of reality of a place. It possesses the tools
to produce an original, individual-sponsored view of
the city(Iqani and Schroeder, 2015).
The drawback, however, to this utopian statement
would be Instagram is deeply embedded existence
in the culture of consumerism and is prone to com-
modify individuals(Iqani and Schroeder, 2015).
Censorship and monitoring of photographs on
Instagram, proves that, if not state controlled, then
Google earth as a means of Understanding Place
———————————————
In todays world, in order to engage with the reality of
the physical world, we end up heavily relying on the
‘imagery’ available online. This imagery is usually
the one provided by Google earth or google Maps
(Dorrian, 2015).
Google Earth has aided in this obsessive need the
world has developed to view an aerial view of the
world. To see the world from above, becomes a the-
atrical phenomena with its surreal visual effects. The
creation of this hyper- reality allowing us to see the
micro and the macro, all at once. Google has been
crafting this utopian dream of a hyper real google
planet, from its very start (Dorrian, 2015). A dream
that all internet using individuals become an active
part of. Google Earth is just a fragment of this con-
structed dream.
It must also be noted that the operations of such
imagery is in the form of an instituition that is quite
deeply embedded into a corporate. Such instituitions
heavily rely on advertisement for their sustenance
(Dorrian, 2015)
How we perceive reality is masked within a system of
corporate intentions. Does social media become the
closes thing to a democratic saviour?
Google Earth, a visual joy. It animates the viewing of
the globe in aa manner that only adds to the obses-
sion we have with the developed with the screen in
the 21st century. We expect the screen to reveal to
us something we do not know about the world, as of
yet. For instance, Google Earth becomes one of the
prompts that makes us believe that the screen offers
us something beyond ourselves.( (Dorrian, 2015)
With its dramatic zoom in and out interface, it would
be fair to gauge that ‘The long zoom’ happens to be a
‘characterisitic visual paradigm of our time. (Dorri-
an, 2015)’
Understanding the spatial implications of Google
Earth on the understanding of places and spaces in
our physical surroundings, we can start analysing
large masses of land with a certain degree of sim-
plicity. Very simply negating and ignoring the multi-
tude of complexities that eye level visualisations are
accompanied with.
There have been multitudes of recorded complaints
regarding inaccurate representations of cities and
places on Google Earth. Rightfully so, Governments Pakistan Chowk
of countries have been active participants in the way “There were spaces for cultural engagement and mar-
their countries are represented on Google earth. A kets that catered to this affiliation between the private
realisation that representation on mediums of view and the public. Over time, there began a social
places comes with heavily implied political agenda exclusion of classes from these spaces that previously
(Dorrian, 2015). created cohesion between communities through art
and culture. The horizontal expansion of the city as
In this manner Google Earth becomes a politically well as the horizontal concentration of wealth con-
active tool to visualise spaces and places. Resolution tributed in an exclusion that damaged the framework
of maps and imagery plays a big role in representing of society.”
these political agendas.
‘Third World Low-res’ (Dorrian, 2015)is a term to
define the resolution of imagery available on Google
earth, of most Third world countries. For example,
in New York, google earth imagery is of a higher
resolution that all of Pakistan, as those are areas with
high real estate value and higher resolution allows for
the seamless functioning of the consumrist culture
google is embedded in. This may add to a level of
alienation of third world countries when it comes to
representation on Google earth.
First world countries not maintain a superiority in
the politics of economy but also when it comes to
the politics of representation. When understanding
to the Digital Imagery and online representation
we must weigh visuals with the hidden instituition
intent that they accompany.
As a means of taking the study of this dissertation
forward, a suggestion for an open source platform
comes to mind.
Divas of Karachi
This documentary series represents a side of Karachi
many may disassociate with the general understand-
ing of the city. This video series, revolves around five
women based in Karachi. Stemming from the elite
sector of Karachi. It is the narration of a side of Kara-
chi, that a very limited fragment of society is familiar
with.
It shows that Karachi, which is A city of Paradox,is
enveloped in a strange form of an identity crisis.
Where the rich and poor integrate, but not on an
ideological level.
We see glimpses of this strange socio economic whirl
of a city in this documentary, where the rich are
oblivious in their ways but charitable in their extrav-
agances at the same time. Where generators illumi-
nate the homes of the wealthy during power cuts,
whilst much of the city is enveloped in darkness
This paradoxical existence is a norm in most Third
world countries. However, this stark differences can
be appalling to some and for some it can be a regular
way of existing.
Mapping of a city, in regular terms, outdoes, and
forgets the emphasis of the societal and individual
differences that exist in the city.
This video series takes me back to the quote by
Quraishi
“In the megacities of developing countries, usually
with a complex socio-cultural structure, access to
urban amenities varies by distinct social groups”
This further adds to the reasoning of why under-
standing a city through narrative may deem neces-
sary for mega cities like Karachi.’
My self-taken photographs in reference to the 7
part essay series becomes a means of comparison
of narratives and forms a test for the dissertation
of the possibilities of architecture when different
narratives are taken into perspective. For the cre-
ation of something unpredictable and otherwise
unseen.
The photos I will take, will be the same locations
as mentioned in the collage of the photo essay. It
will allow me to test out what is revealed when
an organised approach is taken toward recording
narrative and perhaps utilising it to produce con-
scious design?
What to do with the Data received on social media
Infographics and making sense of this meta data
A graphic description of the digital city may lead to
us coming up with something new.
The visualisation of this meta data that is available on
social media is only possible to be read and skimmed
through when organised in a fashion when it is com-
pelling enough to be looked at.
This is not only something that has been focused on
in this study of spaces and geo spatial data but also
an investigation that is being carried on and through
by SIDL, which is a colombia pushed venture respon-
sible for pushing through the visualisation of data
‘We are committed to rigorous and reliable work with
evidence; to harnessing the most powerful tech-
niques of design and visualization; and to a critical
reflection on the limits and ideologies of both data
and its representation.’
An interesting point that is raised by this essay is also
about how some locations become “generators of
mediated interactions” So they assist in the existance
of the spatial self .
“a new kind of geography in which the urban land-
scape is
reframed through narrative (a sequence of events in
space
and time)” (Marc Schmidt and Xia, 2017)..
The need for visualisation
The exchange of information in the physical realm
and the digital realm is quite well described in the
communication mailing list system, highlighted in
this essay.
‘When visualized, this data can help
illuminate communication patterns in a
neighbourhood and their relationship
to the built environment resulting in a
potential tool for architects, planners,
developers and local authorities.
Visualization can also help local policy
makers understand what issues are
prevalent locally and who is discussing
them, helping to provide services that
are more responsive to changes in citizens’
priorities.’ (Bingham-Hall and Tidey, 2016)
This analysis of the visualization of the data hints at
the possibilities of using the digital world as becom-
ing a tool, which responds in the physical world.

Analysis and Comparison of Literature review and
Base Point
in this dissertation the view I have hoped to find an
appropriate viewpoint in order to open doors for
optimistic suggestion for the use of meta data avail-
able on social media platforms as a means of design
inspiration.
What also remains true is the narrow window of
society Instagram and other social media platforms
represent. It is a step towards the democratisation
of design. Through the studying of social media to
influence design, we can take a step in a direction
which currently seems to be unexplored. This is
branch of research that requires more work put into.
Current investigations are not indeal for visualtisa-
tion of such visual data(Hochman and Manovich,
2013), 2004-2005, onwards, since the explosion of
social media(Hochman and Manovich, 2013), many
have looked into social media platforms to study the
meta data that is generated from usage(Zheng and
hong, 2012) However, now with a visual medium like
Instagram, it has become possible to perform a thick
mapping(Hochman and Manovich, 2013) exercise,
where we look at the individual in the light of the
larger data that is aggregated, to understand a city
and/or society.
By embedding social media, within a discourse di-
rected towards understand the urban fabric, fruitful
results can emerge. The seamless incorporation of
a variety of photos on Instagram posts allow ‘Multi
scale readings’ (Hochman and Manovich, 2013) of
Karachi. By utilising such data and aiding it with the
development of special software and algorithms, our
undetstanding of places in cities can change. Geo po-
litical and geo spatial inequalities can be experienced
through an analysis of geo-tagged social media posts.
In the works of Bora et al, who conducted a study
of the relationship between geographical place and
gang terrioties in Los Angeles, it was understood that
insight about place and activity can be gained by an
analysis of social media data(Schwartz and Halegoua,
2014).
Today, Social media is being studied across many dis-
ciplines from multiple perspectives. Algorithms are
generated to carry out specific ways of enhancing meta
data organisation(Hochman and Manovich, 2013).
Many have been studying social media by tracing
behavioural patterns of individuals by scanning geo-
tagged photos(Hochman and Manovich, 2013). With
the realisation of the internets ubiquitous presence, cities with an understanding of the freedom of liquid
social media data is constantly being sifted through in architecture in mind, we can perhaps eventually start
attempts to understand it. leading towards more empathetic design
Check-in data has been analysed by some using Four-
square to reveal the true dynamic of cities (Cranshaw
et al, 2012). Sentimental analysis of tweets has been
As Marvi Mazhar, founder of Pakistan Chowk Cul-
done to reveal ‘real world activites from text based so- tural centre, mentions in her interview. The success
cial media’(Grinberg et al, 2013) of public spaces, is partially dependant on the pro-
Uitlising the phenomenon of photo Geo-tagging, vision of Public Wifi. An added ‘innfrastructure’ to
we can find out more site specific information about the public space. The idea of linking a public space
neighbourhoods(Cranshaw, J., Schwartz, R., Hong, to wifi is not only restricted to certain developed
J.I. and Sadeh, N., 2012.). Such posts can be used to countries where tech savvy individuals reside. Pa-
understand Public patterns of movement in Places kistan Chowk Community Centre, which is Built in
and neighbourhoods. Using geotagged social media a disintegrting neighbourhood, which falls within
posts, the social constructs and norms of places and a socio economic neighbourhood, not associated
spaces can be understood, to better design those with wealth or affluence. Yet, provision of Wifi in
spaces. Identity of certain neighbourhoods can be that space became a reason for the long term success
further defined through the analysis of geo tagged of the community centre which celebrates its 1 year
Instagram posts in those areas (Schwartz and Hale- anniversary.
goua, 2014). Wifi provision becomes a bridge between the digital
city and the real city. An acknowledgement of the
parallel existence of the Virtual city. This example,
validates the existence of the ‘spatial self ’.
Taking on from such studies, we can hope to carry
social-demographic studies of the fragmented neigh- There are multiple reasons as to why Architects
bourhood in Karachi, in hopes to initiate a conver- may take forward the incorporation of the virtual
sation on neighbourhood identities.We can further world, in real world design. As marc Kushner says
zoom in and see, the view of each individual(Hale- Social media has created this opportunity of multiple
goua, 2011), who is free from the geographical biases expirements happening simultaneously. The norm
that exist in the real world. is experimentation- ted podcast. He emphasises that
“Community revitalization is deemed necessary for social media should be used as a design tool in order
better design, facilities and functions’ (Qureshi, 2010) to gauge architecture in a different light.
Such a revitilisation can be aided by social media
meta data examination. It would not be far fetched to
imagine that the possibilities of the creation of cohe-
sive communities by utilising the data received from
social media posts. Just as the Livehoods project, uses
social media data to reveal psychological differences
between neighbouhoods and communities, the same
can be done to understand the diverse neighbour-
hoods in Karachi.
Media theorist Lilie Chouliaraki debates that upcom-
ing technological platforms for self-expression allow
for the “mediated participation of ordinary people in
public culture,” which is a “new terrain of democratiza-
tion” (Chouliaraki 2010)
If we consider Cell phones to be places of interaction,
then they have perhaps become the new public spac-
es. Instagram and Facebook feeds are the new spaces
for conversation. If we approach public spaces in
This is a commentary on How physical space encour-
ages the development of an online persona of the self
or the spatial self.

What if we provide a template for individuals to

create their own counter maps from their own narra-
tions of the city

-------------------------

What I have attempted to do, is to juxtapose micro

and macro narratives with my case study as Karachi.
By re inacting the narration of the digital city
through my own photos, I try and test out whether
there is value in the essential question of this disser-
tation. Which is gauging the value of social media
photo posts as empirical research data in the field of
architecture.