Typology App Series

Series of city guide apps based on Christ & Gantenbein's two books about typology in urban metropoles.

Context

In 2012, architect studio Christ Gantenbein published an award-winning book about urban typologies discovered in Hong Kong, Rome, New York and Buenos Aires. Some years later a follow-up book was published also featuring Paris, Delhi, São Paulo and Athens.

Brief

How to develop and design a reproducible app that's completely based on print publications? What kind of additional features need to be thought of when releasing a digital version of an architectural guide?

Concept

Together with the client, I designed and developed city guide apps for eight metropoles.

the eight typology apps

To build a basic app where the concept could be reusable for every city, the publication's content structure and visual system needed to be analysed. Fortunately the book followed a clear structure and provides a digitally adaptable aesthetics.

The app offers a homescreen-like overview with selectable buildings providing the building's geographic location on a map.

building overview

When selecting a building, a picture of the building appears. By swiping left or right, other buildings can be visually inspected. In order to find the building, its location is shown on a map. Also there is a feature to save favorite buildings and to recall them later.

building pictures

If more information about a building is requested, a modal view of information, building plans and additional pictures opens up.

building details

The apps were featured in Hochparterre.

Every day these apps are downloaded from Apple’s App Store serving as a collection of uncommon urban architecture and as a handy navigator when it comes to visiting one of those metropoles. The apps can be downloaded for free from the App and Play Store:

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