Trend Watch May 2019

A guide to surveillance in the city:

Google sister company Sidewalk Labs has created a system of urban signage that reveals the technologies it is using to track people in public spaces.

The signs are intended to be a visual representation of the privacy policies the company is developing to go along with its data collection technology.

While the project goes some way to address privacy concerns around data collection, there’s still no way for people to opt out of being tracked in public.

The signage is being trialled in Toronto, Canada, but could be taken up in other cities. To find out more about the signage design, purpose and placement, see the article by Fast Company.

Image: Sidewalk Labs.

Controversial designs for new Notre-Dame spire:

The redesign of the upper levels of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, after the destruction of a major fire in April, is attracting controversial proposals – such as a swimming pool, observation deck and sculpture of golden flames.

French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, announcing an international design competition for the roofline, questioned if it was time to modernise any new additions to the UNESCO world heritage landmark.

“This is obviously a huge challenge, a historic responsibility,” he said, adding that the new design should be “adapted to technologies and challenges of our times.”

Contemporary visions include a roof made of recycled plastic from the oceans (Studio Drift), a roofline and spire of stained glass (Alexandre Fantozz, AJ6 Studio), a rooftop olive garden (Arcas Architects).

The rooftop swimming pool is proposed by Ulf Mejergren Architects, observation deck by Foster + Partners and the memorial sculptured spire of golden flames is the brainchild of Mathiule Hanneur.

Perhaps the most tongue-in-cheek, a multi-storey carpark by Yung Yonge, and Notre-McDame with golden arches and red roof by an anonymous Reddit photoshopper.