THE UNSEEN
CHRIS WILSON
This project will focus Primarily on how our city centres are monitors though government owned CCTV systems in place in our public spaces and streets. Showing how dense they are and if there is any free or hidden space within the network of CCTV.
THE UNSEEN
Here is just a small example of where cameras are located across the city of Edinburgh. These cameras can reach a range of up to 200 metres as well as having a 360 degree rotation which can change at any given time at any time of day.
THE UNSEEN
In the city centre of Edinburgh, there are over 40 Council owned CCTV cameras. The graph above shows their location and their digital sprawl across the urban landscape. The centre is very dense with the CCTV Cameras due to higher flows of traffic.
THE UNSEEN
Leith Street
Thistle Street Rose Street George Street
Jeffery Street The Mound
Cockburn Street North Bank Street
Blackfriars Street
Mound Place
Castle Terrace
Robertson Close Johnston Terrace
Grindlay Street
King Stables Lane
Guthrie Street
West College Street
Drummond Street
These street either have full or partial invisibility from Council owned CCTV cameras. These streets are unseen and are therefore moments within the urban environment where there is a freedom of movement across the city scape.
THE UNSEEN
Section 1: Rose Street
Section 2: Leith Street
Section 4: Guthrie Street
Section 5: Royal Mile
Section 3: Cockburn Street
Section 6: Castle Terrace
There are six sections of the city centre that will contain the main event moments. Each section will contain a different event experience with a viewing section creating the observers becoming the surveillance within the unseen spaces.
THE UNSEEN
Rose Street
Castle Terrace Royal Mile
Leith Street Cockburn Street
Guthrie Street
Robertson Close
There are six sections of the city centre that will contain the main event moments. Each section will contain a different event experience with a viewing section forcing the observers to become the surveillance within the unseen spaces.
THE UNSEEN
By layering the digital connection with the urban space you can see the sprawl of networks that connect Edinburgh in a monitoring controlled city under watch from the Government every second of every day.
THE UNSEEN
Rose Street in particular is a surprising location for having no Council owned CCTV systems. Making this one of the most central locations where you can walk freely without being seen or monitored by CCTV.
THE UNSEEN
Guthrie Street is located in the old town and is a vital connection between Chambers Street and the Cowgate. Making this a space that is used regularly on a daily basis as a main throughway from getting from A-B
THE UNSEEN
Robertson Close is a contrast from Rose Street being a smaller street yet being in the old town and not very well pronounced in the urban environment makes this a very well hidden space in Edinburgh.
THE UNSEEN
Cockburn Street is going to be the main focus of the project outcome. This street sits in the city centre. It also is right next to the Edinburgh City Chambers where they monitor all CCTV footage live making this the perfect site for further investigation.
THE UNSEEN
This visual displays the visual information recored on a CCTV camera next to Cockbrun street on the Royal Mile. The level of detail is very cleat and shows that many of the people are unaware of their daily lives being recorded in this way.
THE UNSEEN
On Cockburn street, there is no CCTV that is council owned meaning that people can be in this space and have the choice to be seen or unseen. People can then break down their own facade and be who they want within this private-public space.
THE UNSEEN
This visualisation shows how unseen Cockburn Street is in regards to CCTV. This project’s next steps involve focusing on creating an event space that will allow people to be seen the way they want to be seen in an unseen space.
THE UNSEEN