QUANTIFYING THE EFFECTS OF SPACE ON ENCOUNTER

In this paper we present initial results from our attempts at quantifying the effects of space on human encounter. Our premise is that distinct locations across a city shape and form people's behaviour and encounters. By recording and analysing individual’s visiting behaviour and encounters, we can contribute to quantifying our understanding of space and its effect on people. We were able to record individual visiting patterns by using Bluetooth technology, which is embedded in many mobile handsets. Each phone, if configured appropriately, beams out a unique serial number using Bluetooth, typically within a 10-meter range. Recording this unique serial number, in conjunction with the date and time, can be used as an indicator of when someone visited a specific location. To analyse our data we look for patterns of co-presence over time. We are interested in identifying patterns in the way people encounter each other at each of the four locations of our study. In our analysis we were able to correlate data features from four distinct locations. Our analysis can be used to explain how the different locations provide different opportunities for encounter.