Protocol Pattern Language for Urban Space: Modules 9–10

This paper develops pattern 09 of a protocol pattern language for urban space, addressing how contemporary junkspace has become illegible to inhabitants and proposing that digital wayfinding systems—particularly smartphone interfaces—must incorporate visual iconography and design conventions equivalent to physical signage and street grids to help people orient themselves. Austin argues that successful navigation of sprawl, malls, and non-places requires aligning digital navigation layers with established wayfinding protocols, potentially adapting video game conventions like respawning checkpoints.

Related resources

Paper

Protocol Pattern Language for Urban Space: Modules 5–6

This paper presents a protocol pattern language for urban governance, specifically proposing a 'Bureaucratic Recipes' system—an open-source repository that documents repeatable solutions for navigating local government interactions and institutional processes. The pattern addresses the opacity and complexity of urban bureaucratic systems by creating a crowdsourced, publicly-funded platform where residents can access and contribute knowledge about successfully resolving city-level administrative problems.

community design governance

Dec 2023

Drew Austin

Paper

Protocol Pattern Language for Urban Space: Modules 11–12

This paper presents Pattern 11 on Loitering Protocols, arguing that informal and improvisational uses of marginal urban spaces—though often discouraged or prohibited—serve essential functions by meeting unanticipated community needs while increasing space utility at minimal cost. Austin proposes that space stewards should develop explicit 'loitering protocols' that legitimize and encourage these unplanned uses rather than restrict them.

community design fiction

Jan 2024

Drew Austin

Paper

Protocol Pattern Language for Urban Space: Modules 7–8

This paper presents Pattern 07 on Fractional Housing, proposing a protocol-based alternative to Airbnb that enables flexible, medium-to-long-term shared residential usage to address housing shortages and affordability. The protocol seeks to make urban housing markets more efficient by allowing homeowners to fractionally lease units while maintaining compliance with local regulations, contrasting with tourism-focused short-term rental platforms.

community design fiction

Dec 2023

Drew Austin