Look Down!
Concept
Look Down! is a digital archive that recontextualizes overlooked street-level art in New York City. The project highlights how small visual details in urban environments are often ignored, encouraging users to slow down and observe their surroundings more intentionally.
Interaction Design
The experience is driven by user-controlled filtering, allowing visitors to explore images by borough (Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn). A randomized shuffle system reorders images on load to simulate a non-linear, discovery-based archive rather than a fixed gallery.
Technical Breakdown
Built with React and Vite, the project uses a state-driven filtering system to dynamically render images from a JSON dataset. The gallery is generated using map(), and filters are handled through React state (useState). A shuffle function randomizes image order on initial load to create a more organic browsing experience.
Project Gallery
Data Structure
All images are stored in a structured JSON file containing metadata such as location and time of day. This allows for scalable filtering and makes it easy to extend the archive with new cities or categories.
User Experience Goal
The interface was designed to feel minimal and exploratory, removing traditional navigation patterns in favor of browsing and discovery. The goal was to mimic the feeling of walking through a city and noticing unexpected visual moments.
Code
View on GitHub →Technologies Used
- React.JS
- Vite