Hidden Streams of Ankara Part I: Data Visualization Project
This is the first part of the data visualization project that aims to give information about the floods in Ankara. The streams that existed long before the urbanization of Ankara have been directed into sewage pipes in order to provide more space for settlement and infrastructure. However this has limited the flow of the rainwater. Furthermore, unplanned urbanization affects the circulation of water, increasing the evaporation rate, thus the rainfall per minute. As a result, hazardous floods become more frequent each year in the city of Ankara. The project aims to create awareness by demonstrating the relevant facts and data through infographics and data visualization.
Process
Firstly the relevant data was collected from open access databases, governmental websites, and disaster related organizations' websites. The data was filtered and organized in order to be more operable. Then, sketches were made in the interest of exploring the best way to represent the desired information. Various chart styles and numerous ways to combine them were examined. Later, the data sets were treated algorithmically via the website Raw Graphs, and converted into desired data visualization graphs. Finally, these graphs were adjusted, blended together and visually arranged with the pursuance of readability, via Adobe Illustrator.
Sketches
Inspiration
The water structures which were built in the Republican era, and demolished in the later years inspired me, as they represent the buried streams. The colors and fonts I used in the project were inspired by these structures and their components.
The Visualizations
The Prototypes
The visualizations are planned to be displayed through a booklet or a mobile digital device. The visualization presents general information on floods, effect of urbanization on floods, number of floods in Turkey, distribution of floods across cities of Turkey, urban planning process of Ankara and the buried streams, distribution of floods across the districts of Ankara.
