Tools

Aesthetic experience is a deeply personal and subjective encounter with the world around us. It is a moment of heightened awareness and emotional resonance that transcends mere conceptual thought. When we experience something aesthetically, we feel a sense of pleasure or displeasure on a personal level, based on our individual preferences, tastes, and sensibilities. Aesthetic judgment, therefore, arises from this subjective feeling and is not a result of rational analysis or logical reasoning.

Our aesthetic perception influences our everyday decisions in subtle yet significant ways. It guides us in choosing where to walk, where to run, where to go for holidays, and even which route to take when commuting. However, it also plays a role in more significant decisions, such as moving to a new city, buying a home, or investing in real estate. Our aesthetic preferences shape our sense of place and determine our overall satisfaction with our surroundings.

To tap into this personal aesthetic perception and empower citizens to take action, we developed a mapping tool that allows individuals to rate their personal aesthetic experiences of different places. This rating tool captures the subjective nature of aesthetic perception by providing users with a simple and intuitive way to express their feelings about a particular location. The tool generates color-coded maps that visually represent the collective aesthetic perceptions of a community, highlighting areas that are rated positively or negatively based on user feedback.

It is important to note that our tool does not rate businesses or establishments in a traditional sense. Instead, it focuses on the impact that these businesses have on the overall aesthetics of an area. For example, a business that contributes positively to the visual appeal of its surroundings, such as a well-maintained storefront with attractive signage and landscaping, would receive a higher rating. On the other hand, a business that detracts from the aesthetics of its surroundings, such as a dilapidated building with unsightly graffiti, would receive a lower rating.

Ultimately, our mapping tool serves as a starting point for individuals to engage with their neighborhoods and take action to improve their surroundings. By providing a platform for citizens to express their aesthetic perceptions and visually represent their collective feedback, we hope to inspire communities to work together to create more beautiful, vibrant, and livable places.