We are used to experiencing the city around us in a spatial manner. We exist in a single moment, and our maps, applications, and overall perception of the world around us reflects that. However, the vast majority of a city’s identity lies in the past: And not just a single past, but a continuum of developments and decisions, constructions and destructions. It’s hard to visualize this process sometimes. This may be because urban development as a whole inherently forms a complicated web of choices and actions, where no decision exists in an independent state. To fully understand how an urban area came to be, you need some way to see the bigger picture, looking at not just the individual pieces but the relative relationships between them.
The Ottawa: Rewound project takes on this formidable task, to show the story behind the city’s most interesting areas in a comprehensive, continuous, and interactive manner. What inspired the famous Carleton University tunnel network? How did the LeBreton Flats redevelopment terraform the Ottawa River shoreline? Each new post focuses on a specific region, allowing you to scroll through a visual timeline of the area’s urban development. See buildings rise and fall, landscapes be developed, redeveloped, and upgraded as the city modernizes. Linked to these visuals is important information to help you understand both the individual planning choices and how they integrate into the area as a whole. News snippets, article excerpts, and other historical pieces help contextualize the actions of the parties involved, and understand the mistakes and successes along the way.
If you’re interested in urban planning, fascinated by municipal history, or just want to see what your neighbourhood looked like 50 years ago: Visit some of our posts and let yourself see city development in a whole new light!