Information Architecture: The Architectural Contribution to Information Visualization

Information Architecture: The Architectural Contribution to Information Visualization

With the advent of digital communication technologies, an enormous quantity of information can be stored and transferred. But with these increasing possibilities  comes increasing complexity. As indicated by the dissatisfaction often experienced by users of information technology, current systems of accessing, organizing and navigating information are proving insufficient. Visualization, the representation of information on an interactive map, is a strategy to make more efficient use of cognitive resources when processing complex information. Historically, different methods of visualization are used by architects as a tool to analyze the project data and as a tool to generate the form of architectural spaces. Today, digital technologies have enabled architects to see information as a raw material - an entirely new medium for experimentation in the design of 3D models that seek to materialize abstract data.

This research presents the way in which architects are providing a new professional alternative to interpret a collection of spatially acquired, abstract datasets and developing suitable data representation metaphors that create ambient, spatial and uninhabitable experiences. It also presents exploitation of architectural models that we call “architectural maps” and “architectural metaphors” as a new way to visualize abstract relationships within datasets and new ways to communicate information and generate knowledge structures in order to find new solutions for information overload.

Research Thesis for a Master degree at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology.

Advisor(s): Rivka Oxman, and Robert Oxman.

Presented at Information Visualization IV09 in Barcelona, Spain and at SiGradi 2009, Brazil.

Publications
  • Levy, Adrian and Oxman, Rivka (2009) “Architects of Information: Architectural metaphors and virtual environments” Proceedings of SiGradi 2009, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
  • Levy, Adrian and Oxman, Rivka (2009) “Architectural Metaphors: Designing Information Architecture” Information Visualization. Books of abstracts. IV09, Barcelona, Spain.