While mankind has shaped the landscape of the earth with our buildings and cities, research has revealed that the cities and structures we build alter and shape human behaviors in unexpected ways. Wirtz & Ries demonstrated that the average walking speed of a city was directly linked to the population size, proportion of young men, and percentage of the population over the age of 60. These seemingly random variables predict how people in cities interact with each other, directly shaping the unconscious behaviors of city inhabitants. As the cities we shape stand as testaments to human independence and ingenuity, our creations subtly shape us in return.

 

This piece applies this theory to Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, displaying the average walking speed of each zip code in the area. This facet of unconscious human behavior is transformed into an artificial landscape, translated as a series of topographic lines. As walking speed increases in heavily populated areas, the lines become tighter. In the quiet beach communities populated by senior citizens, the lines drift apart, reflecting a slower pace of life. As the lines oscillate and create new forms, a hidden landscape of human behavioral traits is revealed. As the viewer’s face is reflected in the glass, the human side of our natural landscapes is mirrored in return.

 

Wirtz, P., & Ries, G. (1992). The pace of life-reanalysed: Why does walking speed of pedestrians correlate with city size?. Behaviour, 123(1), 77-83.