New York Subway

This project constructs a visual exploration system for understanding the spatial structure of New York City's subway network.

Rather than presenting routes as static maps, it derives layered spatial relationships — lines, entrances, access fields, policy boundaries, and ridership intensity — to make hidden structural patterns legible.

The focus is not on conclusions, but on clarity: how infrastructure, access, and administrative boundaries coexist within the same spatial system.

This project visualize how subway infrastructure, pedestrian access, and policy boundaries intersect

System Process

Inputs:

• NYC building footprint dataset (polygon geometry)
• GTFS subway lines + stations
• Station entrances (point dataset)
• School district polygons
• Station-level ridership table

Processing:

• Geometry cleaning and projection normalization
• Attribute extraction (height, footprint area if available)
• Aggregation by block / grid / spatial clustering
• Optional extrusion or density field conversion

Derived Layers

• Entrances → Access Fields Point data expanded into walk-distance influence zones
• Access Fields × District Polygons Intersection operations reveal areas of overlap between mobility and administrative boundaries.
• Lines → Proximity Zones Distance-based classification of nearby buildings.
• Ridership → Intensity Scaling Station metrics normalized and mapped to visual weight.

Output:

• Scalable urban structure visualization
• Multi-scale rendering (macro to micro)

System Logic

• The subway network is treated as a layered spatial system:
• Lines define structural topology.
• Entrances define real pedestrian access.
• Buffers convert points into spatial influence fields.
• Policy districts introduce administrative segmentation.
• Ridership scales intensity within the network.

Each layer operates independently but can be composed to study interactions between infrastructure, access, and governance.

LINES → ENTRANCES → ACCESS FIELD ↓ DISTRICT INTERSECTION ↓ RIDERSHIP SCALE

Network Skeleton (Lines)

What it reveals: trunk corridors, borough connectivity, redundancy vs fragility

Access Field (Entrances → Walk Catchments)

What it reveals: “real access” is entrances, not lines

Boundary Intersection (School Districts × Access Field)

What it reveals: where policy boundaries don’t match mobility reality

Load & Hierarchy (Ridership)

What it reveals: hubs, spokes, imbalance, “center of gravity”