baltimore-public-art-and-architecture-database
Database and maps of public art in Baltimore.
This is a very young personal project which I hope to grow into something usable someday.
Project Goals
As we walk in Baltimore we find ourselves surrounded by small artwork introduced to the community with little fanfare. Each piece has its own story that should be told.
Similarly, the streets are lined with buildings often more than a century old, each with its own history.
I'd like to tell the story of each piece of art and the stories of at least the unique buildings in the city.
Who is this project for?
This website is primarily for the residents of Baltimore to enhance our enjoyment of our city as we walk in it. It's not meant as a tourist guide, but I hope that visitors will use it to gain an appreciation of Baltimore outside the major tourist areas.
This website/app is meant to be used by people on foot. To be fully appreciated, art and architecture needs to be seen and experienced in person. Vehicles, and cars in particular, act as barriers preventing us from seeing the details of the world around us.
Features
User input and interaction
I'd like individuals to be able to contribute factual information and their research about the works they see around them.
What I do not want to see is the site become a Yelp for art. There will be no reviews of the quality of the art. The idea here is to highlight the positive, not offer criticism.
All submissions will be moderated by selected volunteers to ensure quality submissions and eliminate harassment, racist comments, and all the other ugliness that lurks on the Internet.
Mapping
I'd like users to be able to identify recorded works near them on a map. Ideally, they'd open up the site, and it would be obvious where they are, and what the work they are looking at is immediately.
Tours
Walking tours would be a list of art/architecture that can be looked at in geographically sequential order. Users should both be able to create and navigate tours on foot.