build up not out
Challenge
Create meaningful change in the city structure and urban planning of Atlanta.
Approach
I read several books on urban vs. suburban life, and began to analyze and understand how the city of Atlanta had come to be positioned the way it is. I called and interviewed several people in the urban development and planning department and several other individuals involved in supporting small business and creating a greener, more vibrant urban center.
Solution
Atlanta is my home town, and although it has a lot of traffic, smog and Peachtree streets-- it also has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, existing legislation and a fractured business sector haven't lead to anything but the mis-use of public funds. The deeper I went into my research, the more I realized what Atlanta really needed was a forum on which experts and citizens could present their ideas for reconnecting the city, and present a unified and positive force to the city legislature who is responsible for urban development.
The site features a heat map of the city of Atlanta, where darker patches show land or property that has fallen out of use. As you roll over the sections of the map, quotes from people about how to re-invigorate the property pop up.
