MAPX
Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna (Harvard), Jonathan Gunasti (Pomona), Louis Marty (SciencesPo), Xander Hampel (CRI)
Inspired by the inflammatory immune response, MAPX is a mobile service-learning game that uses GPS data to document the accessibility of Parisian sidewalks. We aim to create a More Accessible Paris (MAPX) by raising awareness of the intersections between urbanism and physical disability.
A world renowned tourist destination and cultural center, Paris has one of the busiest yet least accessible metro systems. Walkability is highly valued in Paris, and in a historic urban environment where wheelchair users cannot access the metro, it is especially important for sidewalk conditions to be documented. Paris, as a future Olympic and Paralympic host city, needs innovative and practical solutions to make its environment more accessible.
MAPX is up to the challenge! As a facilitator, MAPX would rely on strategic partnerships with volunteers groups, who play the game and collect the data, and with mapping services, who use this data to provide wheelchair-friendly navigation services. Our ultimate goal is to make sidewalk travel easier and safer for people with all degrees of mobility, and in this process we hope to both promote dialogue about physical ability and aid the City of Paris in its commitment to be a more accessible and inclusive city.
